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MMMMXm^&^&i 


■  ^PPPPIfSi  •*«! 


APR It    1949 


%\i\ti0  equals 


s  for  speed 


The  teakettle  sings  before  yoti  know 
it — with  a  modern  "CP" 
automatic  gas  range. 

Faster  boiling,  top-cooking,  broiling — 
a  speedier  griddle,  a  quicker  oven — 
all  yours  with  gas  and  only  gas. 

Just  turn  on  any  burner  (they  all  light  automatically!)  and  you  get 
full  heat  instantly. 

No  warm-up,  no  waiting.  You  see 
that  lively  blue  flame  in  action. 

Cook  faster, 

the  modern  wau9  with « •  • 


SpwdAffiJlaAMJt,  AOtyA: 


Save  time  in  choosing  your 
new  gas  range,  too.  Consider 
only  makes  and  models  bearing 
the  "CP"  seal  — dependable 
standard  of  quality,  features, 
performance. 


MOUNTAIN        FUEL         SUPPLY 


COMPANY 


Serving  Twenty-seven  Utah  and  Three  Wyoming  Communities 


EXPLORING 


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STHE  '>  ,-.v 


By  DR.  FRANKLIN  S.  HARRIS,  JR. 

Dabylonian  contracts  of  2000  B.C. 
tell  of  paying  the  owner  so  many 
gin  of  silver,  as  a  full  price,  for  un- 
occupied house-lots  or  established  gar- 
dens, "That  in  the  future  he  will  not 
make  complaint." 

'T'he  carat  seed  from  an  India  plant 
was  the  origin  of  the  unit  used  in 
weighing  diamonds  and  other  gems, 
except  pearls  for  which  a  rice  grain 
was  employed. 

A  new  dry-cell  battery  promises  long- 
er life  and  elimination  of  almost 
all  soldered  connections,  a  major  cause 
of  battery  failure.  The  plastic  cells 
are  automatically  interlocked  to  make 
electrical  connections,  and  efficiently 
use  the  space.  These  miniature  cells 
will  be  used  in  portable  radios  and 
hearing  aids. 

A  new  chemical,  phenosulfazole  and 
named  "Darvisul,"  has  been  found 
which  seems  to  stop  infantile  paralysis. 
This  modified  sulfa  drug  developed  by 
Dr.  Murray  Sanders  of  Columbia  Uni- 
versity College  of  Physicians  and  a 
group  of  chemists  of  Lederle  Labora- 
tories has  been  given  to  seventy  pa- 
tients already  and  further  trials  are 
being  made. 

HThe  most  important  modern  discov- 
ery ever  made  in  Old  Testament 
manuscripts  has  been  announced  by 
Dr.  Millar  Burrows  of  Yale  Univer- 
sity. The  entire  book  of  Isaiah  was 
found  on  a  well-preserved  scroll  of 
parchment  dating  from  the  first  cen- 
tury B.C.,  compared  to  the  ninth  cen- 
tury A.D.  for  complete  Hebrew  manu- 
scripts of  Isaiah  or  any  part  of  the 
Old  Testament  we  had  had  before. 
This  valuable  manuscript  with  others 
was  discovered  by  a  Bedouin  in  a  cave 
near  the  northern  shore  of  the  Dead 
Sea.  These  writings  had  been  hidden 
in  earthenware  jars,  wrapped  in  linen 
and  covered  with  a  black  wax. 

Tt  is  suggested  by  Jackson  B.  Hester 
that  the  darkening  of  fruits  and 
vegetables,  upon  being  cut  and  exposed 
to  the  air,  is  in  part  due  to  a  change 
of  various  iron  compounds  in  that  the 
iron  changes  from  ferric  to  ferrous 
form. 

Tn  England  a  new  wallboard  is  being 
made  from  straw  by  the  application 
of  pressure  and  heat. 

APRIL  1949 


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Look  for  the 

blue  and  yellow 

TOWN   HOUSE 

package 


Two-handed  eating  enjoyment  may 
not  be  good  manners,  but  it's  certainly 
good  taste  if  what  you  reach  for  is 
TOWN  HOUSE  Chocolate-drop  Cookies 
by  Purity. 

What  youngster  could  resist  the  rich, 
tender  goodness  of  cookies  made  with 
fresh  butter  and  eggs  and  lots  and 
lots  of  chocolate  drops! 

Get  a  package  of  TOWN  HOUSE 
Cookies  next  time  you  shop  for  gro- 
ceries. Whatever  you  serve  for  dessert, 
these  fresh  baked,  oven  fragrant 
cookies    are    perfect    accompaniment. 


Ml)  HOUSE 

CHOCOLATE     DROP 


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life 


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Tune  to 

TOWN 

HOUSE 

MELODIES 

KDYL 

Sundays 

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PURITY    BISCUIT    CO.    -    SALT    LAKE    -    PHOENIX 


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1949 


VOLUME  52 
NUMBER    4 


OFFICIAL  ORGAN  OF  THE  PRIESTHOOD  QUORUMS,  MUTUAL   IMPROVEMENT  ASSOCIATIONS,  DEPARTMENT  OF  EDUCATION 
MUSIC  COMMITTEE,  WARD  TEACHERS,  AND  OTHER  AGENCIES  OF  THE  CHURCH  OF  JESUS  CHRIST  OF  LATTER-DAY  SAINTS 


The  Editor's  Page 

Faith — and  Life George  Albert  Smith  201 

Church  Features 

Mission  to  Polynesia — II Doyle  L.  Green  210 

Baptism  for  the  Dead  in  Ancient  Times — Conclusion...  Hugh  Nibley  212 

Salt  Lake  Valley  Branch  for  the  Deaf Edwin  Ross  Thurston  215 

Portrait  of  President  George  Albert  Smith _ 224 

Evidences  and  Reconciliations — Who  and  What  Are  the  Angels? 

(a  reprint) Charles  W.  Penrose  225 

The  Church  Moves  On 196      Melchizedek  Priesthood  234 

M.I.A.  June  Conference  Announce- 
ment, Marba  C.  Josephson 198 

Salt  Lake  Theatre  to  Produce 

Play 230 

Missionaries  Leaving  for  the  Field..233 


No-Liquor-Tobacco  Column 235 

The  Presiding  Bishopric's  Page 236 

This  Month  with  Church  Publica- 
tions   255 


Special  Features 


Young  Men  and  Women  of  the  Church — Your  Day  is  Now! 

[  ...J. Wesley  P,  Lloyd  202 

M  Men  Basketball  1948-49 Doyle  L.  Green  205 

Goldsmiths  of  Ancient  Times Levi  Edgar  Young  206 

"Off  the  Record"— Let's  Talk  It  Over ..... Mary  Brentnall  209 

Food,  Hunger,  and  People — The  Church  and  Modern  Society — IV 

_ _ — _G»  Homer  Durham  216 

The  Spoken  Word  from  Temple  Square Richard  L*  Evans  221 

Exploring    the  Universe,    Franklin  Durham  195 

>S.  Harris,  Jr 193      On  the  Bookrack 223 


Era  Writers'  Conference  An- 
nounced  194 

Cover   Note   194 

These  Times:    World  Affairs  and 
April     Conference,     G.     Homer, 


Homing:    How  to  Make  the  Fam- 
ily Work,  Eugene  Olsen 228 

Cook's     Corner,     Josephine     B. 
Nichols    229 

Your  Page  and  Ours  256 


To  Our  Leader! John  A*  Widtsoe  225 


Stories,  Poetry 


The  Fort  on  the  Firing  Line— Part  VII Albert  R.  Lyman  218 


Courage,  Maurine  Jacobs 198 

Frontispiece:       The    Bride,    Alma 

Robison  Higbee  199 

Poetry  Page  200 

Remembering,  Pauline  Havard 204 

Request,  Elaine  V.  Emans 232 


The  Morning  Star,  Adrienne  L.  De 
Witt  208 

Request,  Elaine  V.  Emans 232 

The  Dream,  Catherine  E.  Berry. ...251 
To    a    Child    Watching    Bubbles, 
Katherine  Fernelius  Larsen 254 


j  Executive  and  Editorial  Offices: 

50  North  Main  Street,  Salt  Lake  City  1,  Utah 
Copyright  1949  by  Mutual  Funds,  Inc.,  a  Corporation  of  the  Young 
Men's  Mutual  Improvement  Association  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ 
of  Latter-day  Saints.   All  rights  reserved.   Subscription  price,  $2.50  a 
year,  in  advance;    foreign  subscription,  $3.00  a  year,  in  advance;   25c 

single  copy. 
Entered  at  the  Post  Office,  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah,  as  second-class 
matter.  Acceptance  for  mailing  at  special  rate  of  postage  provided  for 

in  section  1 103,  Act  of  October  1917,  authorized  July  2,  1918. 

The  Improvement  Era  is  not  responsible  for  unsolicited  manuscripts, 

but  welcomes  contributions. 

All  manuscripts  must  be  accompanied  by  sufficient  postage  for  delivery  and  return. 

Change  of  Address: 
Fifteen  days'  notice  required  for  change  of  address.    When  ordering  a  change,  please  include 
address  slip  from  a  recent  issue  of  the  magazine.   Address  changes  cannot  be  made  unless  the  old 

address  as  well  as  the  new  one  is  included. 

194 


Conference  for  Era  Writers 

'T'he  Improvement  Era  will  hold 
"T  a  one-day  conference  for  its 
writers,  June  1.6,  1949,  in  the  Young 
Memorial  Building,  50  North  Main, 
Salt  Lake  City,  Utah,  commencing 
at  9:30  a.m.  Discussions  designed  to 
help  the  beginning  and  the  experi- 
enced writer  and  to  indicate  the 
needs  and  requirements  of  the  Era 
will  be  given.  Three  seminars  will 
be  held  in  the  afternoon.  These  will 
deal  with  the  short  story,  poetry, 
and  the  feature  article.  At  noon  a 
luncheon  will  be  held  at  which  the 
writers  themselves  will  give  some  of 
their  work.  In  the  evening  the  con- 
ference is  invited  to  participate  in 
the  drama  festival  which  precedes 
June  Conference. 


The  Cover 


'T'he  storm  and  cold  of  winter  are 
T  soon  forgotten  in  the  burst  of 
new  leaves  that  help  create  new 
hope  and  a  desire  for  better  living. 
The  fresh  breezes  of  spring  seem 
to  hover  over  the  landscape  in  this 
delightful  photograph,  the  work  of 
Eva  Luoma,  adapted  to  cover  use 
by  Charles  Jacobsen. 


Editors 

George  Albert  Smith 

John  A.  Widtsoe 
Managing  Editor 

Richard  L.  Evans 
Assistant  Managing  Editor 

Doyle  L.  Green 
Associate  Editor 

Marba  C.  Josephson 
General  Manager 

Elbert  R.  Curtis 
Associate  Manager 

Bertha  S.  Reeder 
Business  Manager 

John  D.  Giles 
Editorial  Associates 

Elizabeth  J.  Moffitt 

Albert  L.  Zobell,  Jr. 
Advertising  Director 

Verl  F.  Scott 

National  Advertising  Representatives 

Edward  S.  Townsend, 

San  Francisco  and  Los  Angeles 

Dougan  and  Bolle, 

Chicago  and  New  York 

Member,  Audit  Bureau  of  Circulations 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA. 


_...  % 


WORLD  AFFAIRS  AND 
APRIL  CONFERENCE 

By  DR.  G.  HOMER  DURHAM 

Head  o/  Political  Science  Department, 
University  of  Utah 

/~)n  August  24,  1948,  John  Foster 
Dulles  addressed  the  Assembly  of 
the  World  Council  of  Churches,  con- 
vened after  no  little  effort  and  planning 
at  Amsterdam,  Holland.  He  said: 

As  we  analyze  the  world  situation, 
Christian  responsibility  emerges  as  an  in- 
escapable fact.  The  moral  principles  that 
need  to  be  put  to  work  are  implicit  in  all 
the  great  religions.  But  Christians  believe 
that  moral  truth  was  uniquely  revealed  by 
Jesus  Christ.  Also,  Christianity  emphasizes 
not  merely  the  relations  of  man  to  God,  but 
also  the  relations  of  man  to  man.  So  the 
Christian  churches  should  feel  a  special 
responsibility.  If  they  do  not  discharge  it, 
political  leadership  can  scarcely  hope  to 
succeed. 

This  is  a  serious  charge  upon  the 
churches.  Every  commentator  for  ten 
years  has  been  saying  that  moral  prin- 
ciples need  to  be  put  to  work.    Mr. 


Dulles,  in  effect,  is  saying  that  if  this 
world's  need  is  to  be  met,  it  must  begin 
with  the  churches.  The  churches  are 
the  claimants  to  and  custodians  of 
moral  principles.  Can  the  churches  put 
them  to  work  in  modern  life?  "If  they 
do  not,"  says  Mr.  Dulles,  "political 
leadership  can  scarcely  hope  to  suc- 
ceed." 

Tf  this  line  of  reasoning  is  correct, 
readers  of  this  column  have  a 
double  responsibility.  Not  only  do  we, 
with  our  fellow  Christians,  "believe 
that  moral  truth  was  uniquely  revealed 
by  Jesus  Christ,"  but  that  the  basic 
knowledge  of  God's  personality  and 
nature,  and  Christ's,  was  again  re- 
vealed, in  unique  fashion,  in  modern 
times.  Therefore  the  issue  might  be, 
for  purposes  of  interest  in  this  column, 
stated  this  way:  The  world  is  in  a 
moral  crisis.  We  as  citizens  are  actual- 
ly demanding  moral  leadership  from  the 
politicians  of  our  age.  But  can  moral 
principles  be  thus  employed?  If  so, 
what  are  we  who  claim  custody  of 
restored  truth  doing  about  it?  And, 
if  we  do  not  discharge  the  obligation, 
how  can  we  expect  Truman,  Stalin, 
Trygve  Lie,  or  others  to  do  so? 

(Concluded  on  page  222) 
APRIL  1949 


BAtt 

*•  '*e  leaves 


This  is  the  new  gentle  way  to  bale  hay,  saving  more  of 
the  leaves. 

The  ONE  MAN  ROTO-BALER  lifts  the  windrow  and 
rolls  it  up  like  a  carpet.  Leaves  and  blossoms  are 
wrapped  inside  so  they  cannot  escape.  The  pictures  here 
show  how  it  is  properly  done.  Wide  double  windrows  cure 
fast  and  make  the  best  rolled  bales.  They  unroll  easily  in 
a  thick,  soft  carpet  of  fluffy  straw  or  hay. 

Rolled  bales  can  also  be  fed  whole  in  the  feedrack. 
They  stack  compactly,  will  not  buckle,  and  feed  with  a 
minimum  of  waste. 

The  ONE  MAN  ROTO-BALER  was  designed  and 
priced  for  home  ownership.  The  hour  your  crop  is  ready, 
you  can  get  it  safely  into  rolled  bales  that  shed  showers 
like  a  thatched  roof. 

See  your  Allis- Chalmers  dealer  early  if  you'd  like  to 
own  a  ROTO-BALER  this  year. 


Double  windrows  are  easily  made  by  reversing  direction 
of  raking.  Ideal  for  the  job  is  the  new  POWER  DRIVEN 
Allis-Chalmers  Side  Delivery  Rake  and  Tedder,  with  selective 
reel  speeds.     It  steers  true,  makes  straight,  airy  windrows. 


195 


These  Features  Give  You  a 
More  Enjoyable  Journey! 

|#  Greyhound  controls  the  temper- 
ature inside,  with  draftless  air 
conditioning.  It's  warm  in  win- 
ter; cool  in  summer. 

2.  Wide  windows,  with  safety-glass, 
allow  perfect  observation,  and 
filter  out  harsh  sun  rays. 

3.  Soft,  upholstered  chairs,  filled 
with  restful,  sponge-rubber  cush- 
ioning, cradle  your  body,  and  in- 
sure long-trip  relaxation. 

4.  Long  wheel  base  and  cushiony 
springing  mean  a  smoother,  more 
relaxing  ride. 

. . .  and  there  are  no  lower  fares! 

107  West  South  Temple 

Salt  Lake  City.  Utah 

Phone  5-4694 

GREYHOUND  LEADS  IN  COURTESYt 


«smiio-cu&D 

IN    ITS  Pl\Of\LN\ 
WRAPPER..  NO 

RlNP.  ,  NO  WASTE 
NO  EXPOSURE.. /V\M m 


Ike  L/nWtscXi 


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0V-E-S- 


President  Richards 

President  George  F.  Richards  of  the 
Council  of  the  Twelve,  and  the 
eldest  General  Authority  of  the  Church 
observed  his  eighty-eighth  birthday 
on  February  21.  At  that  time  he  was 
in  the  hospital  for  a  checkup.  Presi- 
dent Richards  was  sustained  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Council  of  the  Twelve  at 
the  April  1906  general  conference,  and 
became  President  of  the  Twelve  on 
May  21,  1945. 


Chinese  Mission 

HPhe  First  Presidency  has  announced 
the  creation  of  the  Chinese  Mis- 
sion, and  called  Hilton  A.  Robertson, 
of  Provo,  Utah,  a  former  president  of 
the  Japanese  Mission,  to  preside  over 
the  new  mission. 

President  Robertson  is  first  counselor 
in  the  East  Provo  Stake  presidency.  He 
was  called  on  a  mission  to  Japan  in 
1921,  and  for  a  time,  before  that  mis- 
sion was  closed  in  1924,  he  presided 
over  the  mission. 


HILTON  A.  ROBERTSON 

Twelve  years  later,  in  1936,  he  was 
called  to  reopen  the  Japanese  Mission 
(now  the  Central  Pacific  Mission)  in 
the  Hawaiian  Islands.  He  served  in 
that  capacity  until  1940.  Soon  after 
his  return  he  was  ordained  bishop  of 
the  Provo  Eighth  Ward,  and  was 
later  sustained  as  a  member  of  the 
East  Provo  Stake  presidency. 

Elder  Henry  K.  Aki,  of  Honolulu, 
Hawaii,  has  been  called  as  President 
Robertson's  first  counselor  in  the  mis- 
sion presidency.  With  them  will  go 
Sister  Robertson  and  Sister  Aki. 

China  was  discussed  as  a  possibility 
for  missionary  endeavor  as  early  as 
1849.  Three  missionaries  were  called 
to  China  in  August  1852,  and  left  Salt 
Lake  City  that  October  20,  for  the 
ultimate  destination  of  Hong  Kong. 
They  met  with  little  success  either 
among  the  Europeans  in  Hong  Kong, 
or  the  natives.     They  returned  soon. 


196 


In  the  meantime,  in  April  1853,  two 
more  elders  had  been  called  to  the 
Chinese  Mission,  but  they  were  as- 
signed to  labor  elsewhere,  and  never 
went  to  China. 

President  David  O.  McKay,  then  a 
member  of  the  Council  of  the  Twelve, 
in  company  with  the  late  Hugh  J. 
Cannon,  encircled  the  globe  in  the 
interest  of  the  Church  in  1920-21.  It 
was  during  this  journey  that  President 
McKay  dedicated  the  land  of  China 
for  the  preaching  of  the  gospel. 

Belle  S.  Spafford 

"JiyiRS.  Belle  S.  Spafford,  general 
president  of  the  Relief  Societies 
of  the  Church,  has  been  elected  third 
vice  president  of  the  National  Council 
of  Women  in  the  United  States.  She 
will  succeed  to  the  presidency  of  the 
organization  after  the  vice  presidents 
preceding  her. 

Mrs.  Spafford,  the  general  president 
of  the  Church  Relief  Societies  since 
1945,  was  appointed  to  the  general 
board  in  1935.  From  1937  to  1942  she 
edited  The  Relief  Society  Magazine. 
At  that  time  she  became  second  coun- 
selor in  the  general  presidency  of  the 
Relief  Societies. 

Genealogical  Microfilm  Unit 

'T'he  microfilm  laboratory  recently 
placed  in  operation  by  the  Genea- 
logical Society  of  the  Church  ranks 
with  the  best  in  the  nation.  Located  on 
the  second  floor  of  the  Joseph  F.  Smith 
Memorial  Building  in  Salt  Lake  City. 
it  is  capable  of  processing  automati- 
cally forty  feet  of  thirty-five  millimeter 
film  a  minute. 

Ward  Reunions 

/^entennial  programs  were  held  in 
the  oldest  wards  in  the  Salt  Lake 
Valley  during  February,  and  traditional 
ward  reunions  were  held  in  a  great 
many  wards  throughout  the  Church. 
It  was  on  February  22,  1849,  that 
bishops  were  ordained  of  the  nineteen 
designated  wards  in  the  city.  The 
same  month  four  county  wards  had 
been  designated. 

Although  there  was  a  bishop  at  Kirt- 
land  and  one  in  Missouri,  the  ward 
as  a  unit  with  a  bishop  seems  to  have 
come  into  existence  during  the  Nauvoo 
period  of  the  Church.  There  were 
wards  at  Winter  Quarters,  and  there 
were  wards  in  the  Old  Fort,  in  Great 
Salt  Lake  City,  which  functioned  until 
the  nineteen  wards  were  created  in 
February  1849. 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


Church   Welfare 

"D  utter  and  cottage  cheese  are  now 
being  produced  on  Welfare 
Square  in  Salt  Lake  City,  through  the 
Church  welfare  plan.  For  the  present, 
one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  of  butter 
will  be  churned  about  every  fifth  day. 
The  butter  will  go  to  the  aged  and 
sick.  The  new  facilities  will  produce 
about  two  hundred  pounds  of  cottage 
cheese  or  cultured  buttermilk  a  week. 
Meanwhile  a  new  bishops'  store- 
house at  Las  Vegas,  Nevada,  has  been 
dedicated  by  Elder  Stephen  L  Richards 
of  the  Council  of  the  Twelve.  The 
building  includes  a  storehouse,  a  Re- 
lief Society  workroom,  and  a  large 
storage  locker  in  the  basement,  which 
has  been  divided  into  compartments 
for  frozen  meats,  vegetables,  and 
fruits. 

Primary  Hospital 

/TJ.ROUND  will  be  broken  for  the  con- 
valescent unit — the  first  portion 
of  the  Primary  Children's  new  hospital 
as  part  of  the  Primary  conference  this 
April.  The  seventy-bed  structure  will 
be  located  between  D  and  E  Streets 
and  Eleventh  and  Twelfth  Avenues  in 
Salt  Lake  City. 

The  Primary  Association  confer- 
ence sessions  will  be  held  April  1  and 
2  in  Salt  Lake  City,    . 

M.  I.  A.   Song  book 

Anew  songbook,  Hymns  and  Songs 
of  the  M.I.A.,  has  come  from  the 
press.  The  thirty-two  page  book  of 
M.I.A.  music  will  be  used  until  a  new 
M.I.A.  songbook  is  published  some 
time  in  the  future.  At  that  time  the 
twenty-one  songs  presented  here  will 
be  incorporated  into  the  new  book. 

The  book  is  divided  into  three  parts : 
M.I.A.  songs,  hymns,  and  recreational 
music.  It  is  designed  to  temporarily 
fill  the  needs  of  all  Mutual  Improve- 
ment organizations. 

The  price,  of  the  paper-bound  book 
is  ten  cents. 

New  Servicemen 

Dlans  to  keep  in  touch  with  the  young 
men  of  the  Church  who  become 
members  of  the  armed  forces  have  been 
announced  by  Elders  Harold  B.  Lee 
and  Mark  E.  Petersen  of  the  Council 
of  the  Twelve,  President  Bruce  R. 
McConkie  of  the  First  Council  of  the 
Seventy,  and  Elder  Hugh  B.  Brown, 
former  L.D.S.  servicemen's  coordi- 
nator. 

The  ward  bishop  is  to  visit  the 
young  man  entering  the  service,  and 
give  him  a  copy  of  a  new  pamphlet, 
"So  You're  Going  Into  Military  Serv- 
ice." On  this  visit  the  bishop  is  to 
complete  a  card  on  the  serviceman, 
which  will  be  sent  to  the  servicemen's 
committee  of  the  Church.  They  will 
(Continued  on  page  232) 
APRIL  1949 


Count  Your  Savings 


with  a  CASE 


Combine 


0^      #®§§iii 


<A 


C#l€SclH  wm  OlflC  to  save  more  seeds  and  grain    "T  J- 

s^rer 

rime,  finish  faster  /       V\\ 


Steady  Going 


to  save  time/ 


Low  Upkeep 


to  save  money 


IlOH€|   Eitte  to  save  depreciation 


•  You  get  clear  "velvet"  when  you  get  extra  bushels  of  yield 
out  of  the  straw.  That's  how  the  extra  threshing  power  in  the 
cylinder  of  the  6-foot  Case  "A"  combine  puts  extra  dollars  in 
your  bank  account — how  its  full-length  straw  rack  shakes  extra 
pennies  into  your  pocket. 

From  the  finest  flower  seeds  to  big,  brittle  lima  beans,  from 
fluffy  grass  seed  to  the  toughest  rice,  the  Model  "A"  has  proved 
its  power  to  get  grains  and  seeds  out  of  heads  and  hulls,  to  make 
the  most  of  every  crop  under  every  condition. 

Instead  of  costing  you  more,  it  costs  you  less  to  harvest  with  a 
Case  "A."  The  way  it  keeps  going  shortens  your  harvest,  reduces 
risk  of  loss  from  lodging  or  shattering,  cuts  down  the  days  of 
labor  required.  Its  ENDURANCE  saves  you  money  on  upkeep, 
gives  you  extra  years  of  use  from  your  investment.  Let  your  Case 
dealer  show  you  the  extra  strength  of  its  angle-steel  frame  sup- 
porting every  bearing,  the  dozens  of  ways  it's  built  "a  bit  better 
than  might  seem  necessary ." 


For  every  acreage,  every  size  tractor, 
there's  a  Case  combine — the  low-cost 
5-foot  "F-2"  for  power  take-off  opera- 
tion; the  9- foot  "M-2"  and  12-foot 
"K-2"  for  fast  work  on  big  acreages; 
self-propelled  models  in  9  and  12-foot 
sizes.  All  have  Case  "air-lift"  cleaning. 
Write  for  catalog;  mention  size  to  fit 
your  farm,  also  any  size  tractor,  any 
implements  you  need.  J.  I.  Case  Co.» 
Dept.  D-44,  Racine,  Wis. 


197 


300 
KOLOB 


\<* 


\»t. 


m 


. 


BRING  THE  WESTS 

SERVICE 
TO  YOUR 
HOME  TOWN 

The  KOLOB  Agent  in  your  community  is  the 
friendliest  man  in  town — ready  to  serve  your 
every  insurance  need  efficiently  and  at  low 
cost,  because  he  represents  the  Intermountain 
West's  largest  General  Insurance  Agency. 
Strong  stock  Company  policies — prompt,  fair 
settlement  of  claims. 


A  .  FBANK  SALISBURY,  Mgr. 
330  Judge1  Bldg.  Salt  Lake  City 


Prices  Begin  at  $2,850.00 

Conference  Visitors: 

•  See  It! 

•  Hear  It] 

•  PLAY  IT! 

AT 


son  m 


259  South  State  Street 
Salt  Lake  City 


M.  I.  A.  JUNE  CONFERENCE  to  Be  Held  in 
Salt  Lake  City,  June  17,  18,  19,  1949 


i5u    rl/jawa  U.  /Joseph 


June  conference  for  the  Mutual 
Improvement  Associations  for 
1949  includes  three  days  of  ac- 
tivity and  meeting,  June  17,  18,  19, ! 
as  well  as  a  drama  festival  that  will 
precede  the  formal  opening  of  con- 
ference. The  drama  festival  will  be 
held  in  Kingsbury  Hall,  Thursday 
evening  June  16. 

Special  emphasis  this  year  is  be-  ; 
ing   given   to   music  choruses  who  j 
will  be  brought  together  under  the  [ 
direction    of    Crawford    Gates    of 
Promised  Valley  fame.    The  music 
festival    will    be    presented    in    the 
Tabernacle   on    Saturday    evening. 
Elder  Gates,  a  member  of  the  facul-  j 
ty  at   Brigham   Young   University, 
has  been  studying,  on  leave  of  ab- 1 
sence,  at  the  Eastman  Music  Con-  j 
servatory  in  Rochester,  New  York, , 
in  pursuance  of  his  doctorate. 

Selection  of  the  choruses  to  par- ; 
ticipate  has  been  made  through  ap- 
plication by  the  choruses,  plus  their 
participation  in  the  music  program 
as  outlined  by  the  general  boards. 
The  program  to  be  presented  in- 
cludes some  of  the  long-time  favor- 
ites as  well  as  new  song  numbers, 
and  promises  to  be  a  thrilling 
presentation. 

In  addition  to  this  special  feature 
the  conference  will  be  highlighted 
by  the  dance  festival,  a  delightful 
experience  for  those  who  participate 
and  those  who  observe.  The  dance 
festival  will  be  given  on  Friday  eve-  j 
ning  at  the  University  of  Utah 
stadium,  an  ideal  setting  for  the 
presentation. 

(~)ne  of  the  most  important  fea- 
tures of  June  conference  is  the 
testimony  meeting  which  has  been 
faith-promoting  and  stimulating.   In 


COURAGE 

By  Mautine  Jacobs 

'  I  'he    cactus    prick   of   tears    against   her 
r-    eyes, 
Her  mouth  belied  the  ache  that  cupped  her 

heart. 
Her  songs  outtrilled  the  larks  that  laced  the 

sky. 
Her  smile  outwitted  Death's  swift,  keening 

dart 


%SOll 


this  meeting  people  from  widely 
separated  areas  have  opened  their 
hearts  and  have  given  unanimity  of 
feeling  to  this  great  Church.  People 
of  many  nations  have  expressed 
their  gratitude  for  the  gospel  mes- 
sage as  it  came  to  them  first  through 
the  activities  of  the  M.I. A.  and  later 
through  their  attendance  at  other 
Church  meetings.  The  Hawaiians, 
the  Japanese,  the  Indians,  as  well  as 


ill; 


198 


CRAWFORD  GATES 

the  nations  of  Europe  have  been 
represented  in  these  testimony  meet- 
ings— indicating  the  carrying  forth 
of  the  admonition  of  the  Savior  to 
teach  the  brotherhood  of  man  and 
the  fatherhood  of  God. 

The   day-by-day    program   is   as 
follows : 

Thursday      evening  —  drama      festival, 
Kingsbury  Hall 

Friday  forenoon— age  group  and  recrea- 
tional presentations  in  the  Tabernacle 

Friday  afternoon — age  group  and  recrea- 
tional program  in  the  Tabernacle 

Friday  evening — dance  festival,  Univer- 
sity of  Utah  stadium 

Saturday — department  work 

Saturday  evening — music  festival,  Tab- 
ernacle 

Sunday     forenoon — testimony     meeting, 
Tabernacle 

Sunday  afternoon — meeting  under  the  di- 
rection of  the  First  Presidency 

Sunday  evening — youth  conference,  Tab- 
ernacle 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


The  Bride 


(I5u  ^Mlma  IKobiion  ^Mlab 


we 


V. 


he  day  I  wed  my  man,  a  late  storm 

came; 
We   drove   across    the   prairie,    feathery 

blown. 
His  face  seemed  dark  and  brooding,  not 

the  same; 
And  I,  just  turned  eighteen,  felt  scared, 

alone. 
The  house,  when  we  reached  home,  in 

silence  stood, 
Dark,  forbidding,  against  the  star-flecked 

sky, 
While  from  the  blue -white  shadows  of 

cottonwood 
The  wind  flung  back  a  lost  and  wailing 

cry. 


He  laid  the  kindling  wood  and  set  the  match, 
Then  in  jeans  and  sheepskin  coat,  without  a  word 
Or  even  a  backward  glance,  lifted  the  latch 
And  left  me  where  a  strange  fear  breathed  and  stirred. 
He  stayed  so  long  the  dark  fear  seemed  to  grow 
And  beat  like  a  prisoned  thing  within  my  breast. 
At  last  he  came,  his  dark  hair  starred  with  snow, 
And  two  young  lambs  within  his  coat  were  pressed. 


-Photograph,    Jeano    Orlando 


Fear  forgotten,  I  cradled  each  small,  cold  form, 
Holding  with  shaking  fingers,  life's  frail  thread; 
And  hearing  the  muffled  drums  of  the  winter  storm, 
We  knelt  and  worked  till  the  lambs  were  warm  and  fed. 
"I  drove  the  sheep  to  the  fold  and  made  them  fast," 
He  said,  "These  late  storms  are  the  worst,  I  guess." 
Then  lifting  brown  eyes  he  looked  at  me  at  last; 
And  fear  was  gone;  his  glance,  a  long  caress. 


* 


* 


The  scent  of  milk  and  perhaps  the  falling  snow    ,',; ,: '-.. 
And  the  air  outside,  so  frosty-cold  and  thinned,       ; 
Brought  back  that  night,  so  long  ...  so  long  ago 
When  I  heard  a  young  lamb's  cry  beat  down  the  wind. 


APRIL   1949 


199 


APRIL 

By  Elizabeth  Crawford  Yates 

/^\N  the  silver  heels  of  April, 
v/  Wings  are  ready  for  a  flight, 
For  escape  of  spring's  immortal, 
Who  is  given  to  our  sight 
Only  for  the  days  of  lilac, 
And  the  shining  cherry  flower; 
Only  till  her  wings  shall  leave  us 
Petals — in  a  silver  shower. 


THEN  A  SONG 
By  Dorothy  ].  Roberts 

Waiting  and  absence,  grief  and  loss. 
By  the  heart's  kind  alchemy 
Help  form  the  happy  serenade 
And  the  mournful  threnody. 

These,  in  the  mind,  and  a  flooding  light, 
From  whatever  the  spring, 
Can  lift  a  song,  as  the  lily's  urn, 
From  the  dark  of  remembering. 

Within  your  word,  a  tone  of  sun 
Was  April  on  my  winter  sleep. 
Now  bright  as  heather  is  a  hymn 
Shaped  for  our  lips  to  keep. 


SPRING  SURPRISE 

By  Frances  C.  Yost 

TPhe  springing  shoots  make  light  of  win- 
*    ter's  snow 
As   they  awaken   from  earth's  soft  warm 

beds. 
They  stretch    their   toelike   roots   as   they 

outgrow   . 
Their  tiny  brown  nightgowns,  and  lift  their 

heads 
To  catch  a  glimpse  of  heaven's  sapphire 

hue. 
The  emerald  prongs  reach  out  and  inter- 
lock; 
Bent  on  a  race  to  win,  they  each  accrue. 
When   kelly   green   stems   wear   a    pretty 

frock 
The  passersby  chortle,  "It's  spring!    Why 

see 
These  lovely  blossoms,  such  vivid  colors! 
Winter  is  past,  these  bulblets  guarantee!" 
Spring's  first  flower  has  no  competitors. 
It's  more  refreshing  than  a  mint, 
The  early  beauty  of  a  gay  tulip. 


NEED 
By  Pauline  Havard 

Need  is  a  strange,  insistent  hunger; 
Fed,  it  will  make  the  spirit  younger, 
The  heart  sing  out  like  an  April  bird. 
Need  is  a  short  but  pithy  word; 
The  shards  of  dreams;   the  flicker  of  laugh- 
ter; 
Kindness  like  sunlight  coming  after 
Grief's  wild  storm.    Need  is  these  things — 
A  flurry  of  starlight;   a  beat  of  wings; 
Deathless  and  lovely,  and  quick  to  write 
The  small  word,  "hope"  on  a  man's  dark 

night. 
Not  while  he  breathes  will  he  ever  find 
His  needs  appeased  or  his  hungry  mind 
Satisfied,  and  these  common  hungers 
Bind  men  together  to  face  their  dangers; 
Bind  men  in  wisdom  to  stand  and  give 
The  needs  of  the  heart,  that  the  heart  may 
live! 

200 


FROM  AN  OLD  PARABLE 
By  Ora  Pate  Stewart 

'"Poday  a  weary  stranger  came  to  me 
■*•    And    asked    for   lodging    and   a   small 

repast; 
But  I  was  busy  with  the  panoply 
Of  small  affairs.    The  stranger  left  at  last 
He'd  said  his  name  was  Cleanliness;  but 

who 
Had  ever  heard  of  him?    I  little  cared. 
My  house  was  small — I  had  my  work  to 

do— 
I    took   no   thought   of   how    the   stranger 

fared. 

And  then  I  sent  a  plea  to  Godliness, 

And  asked  that  he  might  stay  a  while  with 

me — 
I  had  an  extra  room  for  such  a  guest 
And  felt  that  I  could  house  him  comfort- 
ably. 
But  Godliness  was  kind,  yet  reticent — 
"It  is  with  pleasure  I  receive  your  plea; 
But    somewhere,    Cleanliness,    lonely    and 

spent, 
Is  trudging  weary  lanes  in  search  of  me." 

I  looked  within  the  chamber  of  my  heart 
And  saw  the  room  was  small  and  dark  and 

bare, 
And  wondered  with  what  decorator's  art 
I  might  improve  the  poor  conditions  there — 
The  cobwebs  of  complacency,  of  doubt, 
The  dust  of  crumbled  hopes,  bits  of  despair, 
The  trash  of  wrong  ambitions  strewn  about 
That  gave  the  room  a  musty,  dismal  air. 

I  raised  the  blinds  and  let  the  sunshine  in; 
I  swept  the  cobwebs  down  and  lit  the  fire; 
I  burned  the  little  scraps  of  secret  sin, 
And  shed  the  remnants  of  an  old  desire; 
Then  hurried  out  into  the  busy  street 
And  looked  this  way  and  that,  and  up  and 

down, 
And  asked  of  every  friend  I   chanced  to 

meet 
If  he'd  seen  Cleanliness  about  the  town. 

At  last,  weary,  alone,  I  turned  to  start 
Back  to  my  little  house  in  bleak  despair — 
But  when  I  crossed  the  threshold  of  my 

heart, 
Both  Cleanliness  and  Godliness  were  there. 


QUESTION  IN  APRIL 
By  Lucretia  Penny 

Oh,  Summer,  of  course,  and  Winter  and 
Fall 
Each  brought  some  perfect  thing, 
But  have  Summer's  rose  or  Fall's  bright 

leaf 
Or  the  snow-capped  pine  that  is  Winter's 

sign 
Stolen  a  heart  from  Spring? 


— Photograph  bg 
Paul  Hadleg 


IN  APRIL  SUN 

By  Helen  Maring 

The  green-gold  rows  of  new  wheat  tin! 
the  hill 
With  light  upon  the  day.  The  earth  is  fair. 
The  dandelions  bloom  with  golden  will, 
Yet  none  computes  their  sums.   The  warm 

bright  air 
Gives  days  when  dreams  of  harvest  cross 

the  brow 
Of  hills,  when  heading  grain  will  spread 

like  lace. 
While  bright  blue    swiftness   of  the  days 

endow 
Our  hearts  with  joy,  faith  keeps  the  world 

in  place. 


ENGAGEMENT 

By  R.  K.  Kent 

HPhe  apple  tree  is  wearing 
•*■    A  new  engagement  ring, 
The  southwest  breeze  is  whispering, 
"The  apple  tree's  engaged  to  spring.' 


I  KNOW  A  PLACE 
By  Josephine  Mclntire 

I  know  a  place  where  buds  of  spring 
Disport  with  truant  winds  that  sing. 
And  overhead  the  cloudlets  drift 
Across  the  fields,  while  flowerets  lift 
Their  little  faces  like  a  cup 
For  April  showers  to  fill  them  up; 
Where  redbird  trills  a  roundelay 
As  April  days  give  way  to  May. 
I  know  a  place  where  buds  of  spring 
Disport  with  truant  winds  that  sing! 


SIMPLE  THINGS 
By  Louise  Darcy 

HPo  find  calm  in  a  restless  world 
*■    We  need  to  seek  the  simple  things, 
A   pear   tree  white   with   fragrant   bloom, 
An  oriole  on  dusky  wings. 
Look  out  upon  the  fresh,  spring  world, 
A  miracle  on  every  side; 
Here  is  a  host  of  simple  things 
To  teach  us  faith  and  hope  abide. 
God's  love  abounds  in  leaf  and  grass, 
The  simple  things  that  do  not  pass. 


APRIL  SNOW 
By  Margie  S.  Giauque 

HpHE  other  day  we  thought  'twas  spring, 
*    We  planted  our  garden  V  everything, 
But  now  it's  snowing! 

The  trees  were  coming  out  in  leaf, 
But  spring's  stay  was  so  very  brief — 
'Cause  now  it's  snowing! 

We  turned  off  the  furnace  and  opened  the 

door, 
The   coal    is    gone — we    must   order  some 

more 

Because  it  is  snowing! 

The  birds  were  building  their  nests  in  the 

trees, 
The  birds  were  out  and  so  were  the  bees, 
But  now  it's  snowing. 

Maybe  they  all  were  mistaken  too, 
But  there's  nothing  any  of  us  can  do 
Until  it  quits  snowing. 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


58= 


FAITH-AND  LIFE 

Dm  [-^resident  Ljeorae  -Mlbert  J^Dmitk 


o. 


ur  Heavenly  Father  desires 
his  children  to  be  happy.  When  he  placed 
our  first  parents  upon  this  earth  which  he 
had  prepared  and  beautified  for  them,  he  told 
them  what  they  might  do  in  order  to  enjoy  it. 

From  time  to  time  he  has  repeated  and 
emphasized  his  counsels  through  his  serv- 
ants, the  prophets.  And  those  who  have  had 
faith  in  him  and  the  faith  to  follow  these 
counsels  have  rejoiced  in  the  blessing  of  a 
contented  mind,  and  have  enjoyed  peace  and 
happiness  that  they  could  have  had  in  no 
other  way. 

We  are  informed  that  without  faith  we 
cannot  please  God.  Faith  (and  the  good 
works  that  follow  faith)  is  the  foundation  of 
temporal  and  eternal  happiness.  It  is  the 
moving  cause  of  all  action,  and  scripture  is 
replete  with  evidences  of  the  power  of  faith. 

It  was  Noah's  faith  that  enabled  him  to 
build  an  ark,  and  as  a  result  of  obedience  to 
the  commandments  of  God  he  and  his  house- 
hold were  saved,  while  those  who  lacked 
faith  were  buried  in  the  great  flood.  It  was 
through  faith  that  Lot  and  the  members  of 
his  family  were  preserved  when  fire  from 
heaven  consumed  the  cities  of  Sodom  and 
Gomorrah  and  destroyed  the  inhabitants  who 
had  not  faith. 

When  Daniel  continued  to  pray  openly 
to  the  God  of  Israel,  contrary  to  a  decree 
which  had  been  purposely  prepared  by  his 
enemies  to  destroy  him,  he  was  cast  into  a 
den  of  lions.  He  knew  his  Heavenly  Father 
could  preserve  him,  and  his  confidence  was 
unshaken.  The  next  morning  the  king  went 
early  to  the  pit  and  found  Daniel  alive.  His 
faith  had  rendered  the  wild  beasts  harmless 
and  earned  for  him  the  devotion  of  the  king. 

Three  Hebrews,  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and 
Abednego,  who  refused  to  worship  a  golden 
image  set  up  by  Nebuchadnezzar,  were  cast 
into  a  fiery  furnace.  They  trusted  in  the 
Living  God,  and  their  faith  was  rewarded 
by  the  preservation  of  their  lives.  By  faith, 
the  Prophet  Elijah  called  down  fire  from 
heaven  to  consume  his  offering,  and  the  king 


and  the  people  were  convinced  that  the  God 
of  Israel  was  God  and  that  Baal  was  not. 

It  was  by  faith  that  the  brother  of  Jared 
and  his  followers  retained  the  language  of 
their  fathers  during  the  confusion  of  tongues 
at  the  Tower  of  Babel  and  were  brought  to 
the  Western  Hemisphere.  It  was  a  similar 
faith  that  enabled  Lehi  to  bring  his  family 
across  the  sea  and  plant  their  feet  on  this 
land. 

It  was  faith  that  enabled  the  disciples  of 
Jesus  to  endure  the  persecution  that  overtook 
them  and,  in  spite  of  all  opposition,  to  estab- 
lish the  gospel  which  the  Savior  had  delivered 
to  them. 

It  was  because  of  faith  that  Joseph  Smith 
went  into  the  woods  and  knelt  down  to  pray. 
Reared  in  a  Christian  home,  and  imbued 
with  the  teachings  of  the  Bible,  he  believed 
the  promise  recorded  in  the  fifth  verse  of  the 
first  chapter  of  James:  "If  any  of  you  lack 
wisdom,  let  him  ask  of  God,  that  giveth  to 
all  men  liberally,  and  upbraideth  not;  and  it 
shall  be  given  him." 

It  remained  for  this  boy,  not  yet  fifteen 
years  of  age,  living  in  an  obscure  village,  to 
test  the  promise  of  our  Heavenly  Father, 
and  to  become  the  first  human  being  in  sev- 
eral centuries  to  know  firsthand  that  men 
were  made  in  the  literal  image  of  God.  This 
youth  had  the  heavens  opened  to  him,  and 
he  beheld  the  Father  and  the  Son  and  listened 
to  their  voices.  This  most  remarkable  ex- 
perience was  the  result  of  faith.  Through 
faith  Joseph  Smith  was  able  to  translate  the 
Book  of  Mormon  from  an  ancient  language 
by  the  gift  and  power  of  God. 

Later  he  was  given  additional  information 
and  directions  which  brought  about  the  or- 
ganization of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of 
Latter-day  Saints.  Under  the  direction  of 
our  Heavenly  Father,  he  organized  the 
Church  with  apostles  and  prophets;  in  fact, 
with  the  same  form  of  organization  as  existed 
in  the  days  of  the  Savior.  He  received  from 
John    the    Baptist   the    Aaronic    Priesthood; 

( Concluded  on  page  252 ) 


APRIL  1949 


The  First  of  Two  Articles 

"...  your  old  men  shall  dream 
dreams,  your  young  men  shall  see 
visions."   (Joel  2:28.) 

More  than  180,000  young  men 
and  women  of  the  Church  are 
between  sixteen  and  twenty- 
five  years  of  age.  To  you.  the  youth, 
your  problems,  your  hopes,  your 
ambitions  your  disappointments,  and 
your  fulfilments,  we  turn  our  atten- 
tion. Most  of  you  realize  that  nei- 
ther you  nor  we  know  the  answers  to 
all  of  your  vital  problems.  We  have 
voiced  many  trite  and  easy  things  to 
help  but  have  dealt  mostly  in  vague 
generalities.  You  ask  for  under- 
standing and  too  often  get  from  us 
mere  quotations  or  closed  answers. 
More  than  six  thousands  of  your 
numbers  will  take  classes  at  the 
Church  university  during  the  pres- 
ent school  year.  Many  more  will 
enrol  in  the  colleges,  institutes,  and 
seminaries  of  the  Church,  while 
thousands  will  be  participating  in 
education  as  it  is  found  in  state  and 
private  colleges  and  universities 
throughout  the  land.  All  this,  and 
more,  will  be  provided  so  that  you 
may  the  better  prepare  for  the  dec- 
ade ahead. 

During  this  year  each  of  you  will 
ask  some  self-searching  question 
about  yourself  and  your  future,  for 
as  a  group  you  are  thinking  about 
tomorrow  and  what  it  may  hold  for 
you.  Preparation  for  life  is  impor- 
tant but  to  live  each  day  to  its  fullest 
is  the  challenge  of  the  present.  Im- 
portant as  the  future  may  be,  it  will 
depend  largely  upon  your  work  and 
thinking  of  today.  In  this  sense, 
young  man  and  young  woman,  your 
day  is  now. 

We  shall  not  start  by  saying  that 
you,  the  young  men  and  women  of 
today,  are  the  best  in  the  world. 
Some  of  you  stimulate  our  pride; 
others  our  wonder.  Among  you  are 
the  ambitious  and  the  lazy,  the  quick 
and  the  slow,  the  bright  and  the  dull, 
the  handsome  and  the  homely.  You 
are  much  like  your  parents  and 
teachers  whom,  unwittingly,  you 
have  in  a  general  way  learned  to 
imitate.  This  realistic  picture  may 
be  a  far  cry  from  the  stream  of 
compliments  you  ordinarily  receive 
— the  kind  which  are  typical  of  our 
modern  world.  However,  most  of 
you  do  not  ask  for  compliments,  but 
for  our  realistic  interest  in  your 
202 


U 


J  Ol 


% 


en   an 


J    Wo 


omen 


hopes  and  plans.  This  interest  can- 
not be  a  mere  make-believe,  for 
young  people  of  every  age  and  cul- 
ture are  the  most  accurate  index  of 
the  future.  The  social  world  of  the 
1950's  is  now  being  sculptured  by 
you,  the  young  people  of  the  '40's. 
Each  of  you  has  problems  that  are 
common  to  all,  yet  each  has  prob- 
lems of  his  own. 

Py  the  hundreds  in  recent  months, 
you  have  asked  yourselves  these 
questions:  Where  can  I  get  a  good 
job?  Can  I  go  to  college?  How 
may  I  prepare  best  for  my  life's 
work?  How  may  I  overcome  my  quick 
temper?  Now  that  I  am  in  love  shall 
I  get  married  or  wait  until  I  am  bet- 
ter prepared  to  head  a  family? 
Where  will  I  get  money  to  pay  for 
a  new  suit?  How  can  I  get  my  chums 
and  friends  to  feel  that  I  count? 
May  I  use  the  family  car  next  Sat- 
urday night?  What  do  I  gain  by 
going   to  Church?    These  are  but 


--Photograph  by  Harold  M.  Lambert  Studios 

samples  of  your  queries,  each  hour 
of  the  day  or  into  the  night.  It  is 
such  questions,  with  their  answers, 
that  form  the  center  of  your  lives. 
Many  of  the  answers  cannot  be 
found  in  books  or  articles,  but  in 
the  normal  give  and  take  between 
you  and  your  parents,  your  teach- 
ers, and  your  companions. 

Perhaps  you  realize  that  as  you 
are  asking  these  questions,  we  are 
also  asking  some  of  our  own:  How 
can  I  teach  Bob  to  be  more  careful 
in  caring  for  his  clothes?  Why  does 
Jim  continue  to  go  out  in  the  winter 
without  wearing  his  rubbers?  How 
may  we  help  Jane  to  understand  that 
Sunday  is  not  a  day  especially  set 
apart  for  picture  shows?  How  can 
we  arrange  sufficient  funds  for  John 
to  go  to  college?  While  he  is  away 
tonight,  will  Bill  act  the  part  of  a 
gentleman  and  return  home  in  rea- 
sonable time? 

Yes,  the  questions  of  family  and 
social  life  come  from  at  least  two 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


of  the    L^kawk 

YOUR  DAY  is  NOW! 


does  not  attempt  earnestly  to  im- 
prove in  his  attitude  toward  others 
may  rob  himself  of  the  thrill  of  self- 
discipline,  and  also  he  may  be  poor 
company  for  others..  It  is  one  of 
these  essential  tasks  in  which  we 
attempt  to  discover  ourselves,  and 
to  learn  more  about  our  capacities 
and  our  chances  for  happiness  and 


>w     l/vedieu  /".  cutout 

DEAN  OF  STUDENTS,  BRIGHAM  YOUNG  UNIVERSITY 


success. 


mand?  It  may  be  the  girl  next  door 
or  the  boy  from  across  the:  street. 
He  may  be  neither  handsome  nor 
rich,  yet  be  very  much  in  demand 


Do  you  have  friends  who  seem  to 
be  well  poised,  both  in  their  bodily 
movements  and  in  their  thinking 
directions,  and  in  the  give  and  take  who  worry  about  the  family  life;  and  talking,  and  others  who  are  con- 
there  develops  an  understanding  and  the  salesman  in  a  store  who  is  fused,  uncertain,  and  highly  un- 
between  parents  and  young  people,  concerned  about  making  a  sale,  predictable?  Have  you  noticed,  as 
and  usually  a  greater  appreciation  Each  of  these  tries  to  picture  him-  you  gather  in  crowds  at  a  party,  io 
on  the  part  of  both.  In  the  process,  self  as  he  is  in  the  eyes  of  others,  a  classroom,  or  in  family  life,  that 
there  will  appear  differences  of  We  are  constantly  engaged  in  the  there  is  often  one  member  of  the 
opinion;  these  may  result  from  im-  process  of  measuring  personality;  party  who  seems  to  be  most  in  de- 
patience  and  lack  of  experience  on  we  do  not  use  the  technical  tools  of 
the  part  of  youth,  or  they  may  be  the  psychological  laboratory;  but  in 
the  result  of  perfectionist  philosophy  the  everyday  tasks  of  life  we  make 
on  the  part  of  parents.    Too  often,  comparisons  and  judgments. 

as   parents,   we  have  spoken   with  In  the  first  day  at  school  students     by  his  friends  and  associates.    He 

impatience    then    remembered    that  are  analyzing  their  teachers,  and  the      may  say  very  little  but  may  demon- 

your  need  was  not  negative  criticism  teachers    are    analyzing    their    stu-     strate  some  characteristic  that  gives 

but  a  demonstrated  better  way  of  dents.    A  boy  asks  what  kind  of     people  confidence  in  him,  a  desire  to 

doing  things.    Too  often  you  have  principal   the   school   has,   and  the      know  him  better,  and  a  wish  to  be 

pouted  or  rebelled  rather  than  principal  continues  to  wonder  what  accepted  by  him.  At  first,  we  may 
learned  to  ride  the  troubled  wave 
gracefully  and  with  confidence.  Re- 
cent studies  in  the  nature  of  human 
nature  give  parents  the  opportunity 
to  understand  their  children  better 
and  to  find  more  intelligent  ways  of 
helping  in  the  problems  of  sons  and 
daughters. 

We  shall  here  be  able  to  consider 
only  a  few  of  the  problems  you 
raise.  First,  let  us  talk  about  per- 
sonal qualities  that  make  us  useful 
to  others.  Then,  the  place  of  educa- 
tion in  life.  Third,  we  shall  talk 
about  social  problems  involving 
friendship,  courtship,  and  planning. 
And  finally,  we  shall  consider  the 
religion  of  youth. 


\T  Tesley  Parkinson  Lloyd  has  earned  the  love  and 
"  respect  of  the  many  students  who  have  come  under 
his  direction  as  dean  of  students  at  Brigham  Young  Uni- 
versity since  1945.  Moreover,  he  won  the  admiration 
of  those  whom  he  reached  in  many  other  capacities 
in  his  active  life  as  teacher,  athletic  coach,  principal, 
and  professor  of  philosophy  and  education. 

Born  in  Ogden,  Utah,  he  completed  his  B.S.  and 
M.S.  work  at  Brigham  Young  University;  he  re- 
ceived his  Ph.D.  from  the  University  of  Chicago.  His 
Church  service  has  been  particularly  rich  including 
membership  on  the  general  board  of  the  Young  Men's 
Mutual  Improvement  Association  until  he  was  re- 
leased in  order  to  assume  the  position  of  bishop  in  his 
ward.  He  also  has  been  widely  interested  in  the  com- 
munity life  of  those  places  in  which  he  has  resided.  His  membership  in  the  edu- 
cational organizations  also  proves  his  live  concern  for  those  whom  he  counsels. 


DR.  WESLEY  P.  LLOYD 


Living  with  Others 

T-Tave  you  ever  noticed  how  im- 
portant it  is  in  the  lives  of  each 
of  us  to  have  the  respect  and  good 
wishes  of  friends  and  acquaint- 
ances? It  is  only  in  our  odd  mo- 
ments that  we  feel  we  can  get  along 
alone.  Almost  everyone  engages 
daily  in  self-analysis.  There  is  the 
young  man  who  asks  his  girl  for 
a  date;  the  boy  who  asks  for  a  job 
or  tries  to  determine  whether  or  not 
he  will  be  successful  in  one;  the 
speaker  who  wonders  if  he  can  face 
an  audience;   the  father  and  mother 

APRIL  1949 


kind  of  students,  he  will  work  with 
for  a  year.  Each  of  us  has  certain 
personal  tendencies  which  are  ob- 
served by  ourselves  and  others  and 
which  constitute  a  significant  part  of 
our  personalities.  The  fine  thing 
about  these  tendencies  of  ours  is 
that  they  are  changeable — we  no 
longer  speak  about  courage  or  ambi- 
tion or  enthusiasm  or  cheerfulness 
or  anger  as  absolutes  which  do  not 
change.  We  are  in  these  days  try- 
ing to  find  ways  in  which  we  may 
adjust  our  personalities  in  order  to 
be  of  greater  benefit  to  ourselves 
and  to  others.  The  young  man  who 


think  that  it  is  his  personal  appear- 
ance which  is  the  cause  of  his  popu- 
larity or  acceptance  by  others.  Then 
we  may  see  someone  in  the  group 
who  has  far  more  acceptable  physi- 
cal features  and  dress  who  sits  alone 
and  is  largely  out  of  the  picture. 

Social  acceptance  seems  to  involve 
at  least  four  important  factors :  •(  1  ) 
our  contribution  to  others;  (2)  a 
friendly  and  understanding  attitude; 

(3)  a  feeling  that  one  has  made  the 
most    of    his    physical    possibilities; 

(4)  the  ability  to  think  straight  and 
express  ideas  clearly. 

(Continued  oh  page  204) 
203 


(Continued  from  page  203) 

Contributing  to  Others 

Daul  was  a  young  man  of  pleas- 
ing appearance;  he  was  inter- 
ested in  what  others  were  doing  and 
why  they  were  doing  it.  He  seemed 
always  to  think  carefully  and  to 
express  his  thoughts  clearly.  The 
neighborhood  crowd  did  not  call 
him  a  leader  nor  did  it  go  through 
an  election  to  appoint  him  presi- 
dent— the  fellows  just  seemed  to 
have  the  habit  of  listening  when 
Paul  was  talking  and  of  wanting  to 
be  in  on  his  kind  of  fun.  He  was 
no  Apollo;  "But,"  said  one  of  his 
chums,  "when  he  looked  at  you,  he 
really  meant  it."  His  clothes  were 
not  expensive,  but  well-chosen,  and 
when  he  said  hello  it  carried  glad- 
ness that  he  had  seen  you.  Paul  was 
not  lazy  nor  slow,  but  he  seemed  to 
be  in  no  extreme  hurry  to  get  places. 
It  seemed  that  somewhere  along  the 
line  he  had  discovered  that  he  was 
already  somewhere  and  that  wher- 
ever he  was  counted  quite  a  lot. 

Then  there  was  Wendell,  another 
one  of  the  crowd,  always  five  min- 
utes late,  hair  uncombed,  wearing 
whatever  was  handy,  good-natured 
and  well-liked,  but  after  all — "just 
one  of  the  boys."  Between  these 
two  young  men  there  were  differ- 
ences in  native  ability  and  also  in 
home  background.  It  would  be  most 
unreal  for  us  to  assume  that  each 
young  man  and  woman  is  born  with 
the  same  capabilities  and  the  same 
chances  for  leadership,  but  many  of 
you  smart  under  these  differences 
and  wonder  what  can  be  done  to 
narrow  the  gap.  Perhaps  the  fol- 
lowing will  help:  (1 )  make  a  self- 
analysis  and  outline  areas  in  your 
own  life  and  actions  in  which  im- 
provements may  be  made;  in  short, 
include  yourself  in  your  plans,  and 
work  with  faith  and  assurance  that 
through  proper  application  to  the 
task  you  may  be  far  more  effective 
and  more  accepted  than  you  are. 
(2)  Do  not  let  minor  failures  "get 
you  down."  First,  attention  may  well 
be  given  to  the  ways  in  which  you 
have  achieved  success.  ( 3 )  A  sense 
of  humor  may  save  your  day;  do  not 
take  your  problems  too  seriously.  If 
life  gets  too  serious,  look  in  a  mirror 
and  have  a  good  laugh.  There  may 
be  plenty  to  laugh  about.  Earnest 
application  to  a  job  need  not  rob 
you  of  your  sense  of  humor.  ( 4 )  Do 
204 


YOUR  DAY  IS  NOW 

not  seek  the  spotlight.  As  we  help 
others  to  achieve,  we  gain  their 
confidence  and  appreciation.  People 
like  to  be  with  others  who  are  help- 
ing them.  ( 5 )  Be  genuine  and  stand 
for  things  which  you  think  really 
count.  As  you  demonstrate  that  you 
are  not  afraid  to  uphold  your  con- 
victions and  ideals  and  you  are 
cheerful,  cooperative,  friendly,  hon- 
est and  helpful,  you  will  find  your- 
self in  real  demand;  for  your  friends 
and  mine  are  looking  for  compan- 
ions with  these  characteristics. 

Your  School  Life 

pVERY  young  man  or  woman  in  the 
Church  must  settle  for  himself 
the  problem  of  how  far  to  go  in 
school.  You  should  not  assume  that 
learning  to  think  is  synonymous 
with  going  to  school.  In  every  com- 
munity there  are  outstanding  citi- 
zens who  were  deprived  of  educa- 
tional opportunities  but  who  demon- 
strated that  they  could  think  clearly. 
Many  of  your  fathers  and  mothers 
are  people  of  this  kind;  you  have 
admired  their  clarity  of  thought 
even  as  you  listened  to  their  stories 
of  lack  of  formal  schooling.  But  as 
a  member  of  a  new  generation  it  is 
yours  to  know  that  the  world  of  the 
future  will  be  a  world  of  better  edu- 
cated men  and  women.  The  latest 
report  on  college  and  university  en- 
rolment lists  2,410,000  students  in 
America  alone.  This  represents  a 
new  day  in  history.  Tomorrow's 
work  will  be  led  by  men  and  women 
of  learning.  These  millions  are  at- 
tempting to  wrestle  from  college  and 
university  halls  correct  tools  for 
thinking  and  subject  matter  which 
will  come  to  their  support  in  times 
of  their  urgent  need.  The  greatest 
problems     of     our     day — problems 


REMEMBERING 

By  Pauline  Havard 

Stuff  the  colored  silks  of  the  sunset 
Into  memory's  ample  pocket; 
Store  the  silver  beads  of  bird-song 
Into  the  spirit's   chest  and  lock  it. 
Take  them  out  in  an  hour  of  bleakness, 
In    a    sunless    era    when    no    birds    sing; 
They  will  light  the  day  with  their  secret 

fires, 
Till  the  heart's  forest  shows  an  unseasonal 

spring 
Through  the  magic  wand  of  remembering. 


which  you  will  be  asked  to  answer 
— require  something  more  than  co- 
operative attitude  and  intense  con- 
viction, important  as  these  qualities 
are. 

We  are  discussing  in  reality  the 
difference  between  an  objective  and 
a  subjective  view  of  things.  When- 
ever personal  interests  get  strongly 
entrenched,  it  is  most  difficult  to  see 
the  other  fellow's  side  and  to  think 
objectively.  It  is  difficult  to  stand 
aside  and  see  ourselves  in  action. 
Yet  the  man  who  is  marching  in  the 
parade  is  in  no  position  to  see  how 
the  parade  looks,  or  where  it  is  go- 
ing— he  merely  follows  the  person 
ahead  of  him.  In  order  to  determine 
how  it  really  looks,  he  has  to  stand 
on  the  sidewalk  and  watch  the  pa- 
rade go  by.  Many  of  us  are  so  inti- 
mately wrapped  up  in  the  events  of 
life,  with  so  many  personal  inter- 
ests at  stake,  that  we  are  not  good 
thinkers  or  social  analysts. 

The  story  of  Mr.  is 

not  an  uncommon  one.  He  left  his 
regular  work  early,  got  a  truck,  and 
worked  several  hours  hauling  coal 
to  his  residence  to  save  fifty  cents  a 
ton.  By  this  time  he  had  saved 
three  dollars  and  had  dropped  into 
bed  exhausted,  but  satisfied  with 
himself.  The  next  day  without  ap- 
parent hesitation  he  stood  before  the 
village  slot  machine  and  in  ten  min- 
utes had  lost  the  entire  three  dollars. 
He  did  not  complain,  even  though  he 
knew  that  his  chances  to  come  out 
even  were  very  slim. 

The  actions  of  other  people  amuse 
us,  but  we  seldom  look  ridiculous  to 
ourselves.  Have  you  ever  wished 
that  you  could  stand  aside  on  a  hill 
and  watch  yourself  go  by.  It  is  this 
power  to  do  things  impartially  and 
with  keen  insight  that  gives  direc- 
tion to  social  living.  It  is  the  prime 
characteristic  of  a  strong  mind.  In 
these  examples  we  have  called  at- 
tention to  only  one  of  the  basic  req- 
uisites for  clear  thinking. 

Learning  to  think  is  a  product  of 
true  education.  It  is  not  to  be  con- 
fused with  simple  propaganda.  In 
true  education  our  twin  duty  is  to 
gain  knowledge  through  the  discov- 
ery of  principles,  laws,  and  facts, 
and  to  organize  and  interpret  in- 
formation intelligently.  Schools  and 
the  educational  institutions  of  the 
land  are  provided  in  order  that  we 
(Concluded  on  page  231 ) 
THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


Members  of  the  1948-49  all-Church  championship  team  from  Maywood 
Ward,  South  Los  Angeles  Stake,  along  with  their  coach  and  sponsor  are  shown 
above.  They  are,  left  to  right:  Coach  Bob  Fowler,  Richard  Waite,  Merwin 
Waite,  Dean  Alger,  Boyd  Benson,  William  McNaught,  Bob  Bowman,  Captain 
Harold  Heywood,  and  Noble  Waite.    Sponsor  is  Nancy  Morley. 


Runner-up  in  the  tournament  was  Fielding  Ward,  Beat  River  Stake.  They 
are,  left  to  right:  Coach  Clark  Wilcox,  LaMar  Bourne,  Kent  Sutherland, 
Vernon  Coombs,  Owen  Jones,  Joe  Hess,  Vern  Petty,  Verl  Coombs,  Dorvel  Gam. 
Sponsor  is  Rosemary  Kidman. 


These  are  the  men  selected  on  the  all-Church  honor  team.    They  are,  left  to  right:    Richard  Waite,  Maywood  Ward;  Merwin  Waite, 
Maywood  Ward;    Roland  Williams,  Edgehill  Ward;  Sperry  Rueckert,  Twenty-sixth  Ward,  and  Vernon  Coombs,  Fielding  Ward, 

M  Men  Basketball  1948-49 


Could  a  complete  account  of  the 
1948-49  M  Men  basketball 
story  be  written,  it  would  con- 
tain unnumbered  tales  of  valor  and 
courage,  of  heroism  and  sportsman- 


(uy    2/joyle   eJL.    Cfr 


reen 


nite    need    of    young    men    in    the 

Church,  and  that  in  addition  to  the 
ship,  and  of  faith  and  loyalty  to  the     recreational  and  physical  values  be- 

gospel,   reported   from  many  parts     ing  gained,  it  is  helping  to  prepare     "largest    basketball    league    in    the 
of    the    Church.     Out    of   the    all-     our  youth  to  face  the  future  by  de-     world"  this  season,  met  in  the  all- 


veloping  sportsmanship  and  leader- 
ship. All  of  this  aids  in  building 
good  Latter-day  Saints, 

The  sixteen  teams  which  repre- 
sented the  more  than  seven  thou- 
sand young  men  who  played  in  the 


Church  tournament  it- 
self come  stories  we 
would  like  to  record  in 
full,  if  space  permitted: 
stories  of  the  team  that 
walked  seven  miles 
through  snowdrifts  to 
participate  in  their  dis- 
trict playoff;  of  the  team 
which  spent  part  of  its 
free  time  in  Salt  Lake, 
during  the  tournament, 
doing  temple  work;  of 
the  ten  teams  on  which 
two  or  more  brothers 
played  together;  of  the 
team  which  contained 
four  married  men,  all  of 
them  married  in  the 
temple. 

These  stories  and 
many  more  like  them 
would  show  that  the  M 
Men  basketball  pro- 
gram   is   filling   a    defi- 

APRIL  1949 


Elbert  R.  Curtis,  general  superintendent  of  the  Young  Men's  Mutual  Improve- 
ment Association,  is  shown  presenting  the  sportsmanship  award  to  the  Manavu 
Ward  team,  composed  of  Don  Briggs,  Kenneth  Flake,  James  Baird,  Joseph  Bram- 
mar,  John  Huish,  Tom  Moulton,  Don  Peterson,  and  Stanley  Walker.  The  sponsor 
is  Fay  Catmull.    Coach  is  Reed  Rosenburg. 


Church  tournament  in 
Salt  Lake  City  on 
March  2,  3,  4,  and  5th. 
When  the  final  gun  was 
sounded,  a  team  of 
hustling,  well-coached 
and  well-trained  play- 
ers from  Maywood 
Ward,  South  Los  An- 
geles Stake,  emerged 
victorious,  winning  a 
thriller  from  Fielding 
War  d,  Bear  River 
Stake,  by  a  score  of  39- 
38. 

Another  thirty  sec- 
onds might  have  told  a 
different  story  —  the 
game  was  that  close.  In 
fact,  the  champions 
were  pressed  most  of 
the  way  in  every  game 
they  played,  winning 
from    Harrisville,    Farr 

{Concluded  on  page  246) 

205 


GOLDSMITHS  OF 


A  gold  ornament  from  Panama 

'Illustrations  from  Museum  of  the  American 
Indian,   Heye  Foundation.   New   York  City 


Golden  statuette  of  Tizoc,  great  lord 
of  the  Aztecs 


Gold  mummy  mask  from  Peru 


Gold  and  precious  stones  and 
jewels  have  from  the  dawn  of 
civilization  played  a  large  part 
in  the  worship  and  adoration  of  the 
divine.  The  goldsmith's  art  is  one 
of  the  oldest  arts  practised  by  man 
and  was  brought  to  a  high  degree  of 
excellence  at  an  early  period.  The 
writings  of  the  prophets  of  the 
Holy  Bible  give  many  examples  of 
the  love  that  men  had  for  gold  and 
precious  metals  and  jewels.  A  fa- 
mous passage  in  the  Book  of  Job 
proclaims  this  truth: 

As  for  the  earth,  out  of  it  cometh  bread: 
and  under  it  is  turned  up  as  it  were  fire. 

The  stones  of  it  are  the  place  of  sap- 
phires:   and  it  hath  dust  of  gold.   (Job  28: 

5-6.) 

*       *       +      * 

(Now  Hiram  the  king  of  Tyre  had  fur- 
nished Solomon  .  .  .  with  gold.  .  .  .) 

And  Hiram  sent  to  the  king  sixscore 
talents  of  gold.  (I  Kings  9:11,  14.) 

.  .  .  And  (the  Queen  of  Sheba)  came  to 
Jerusalem  with  a  very  great  train,  with 
camels  that  bare  spices,  and  very  much 
gold,  and  precious  stones.  .  .  . 

And  she  gave  the  king  an  hundred  and 
twenty  talents  of  gold,  and  spices  very 
great  store,  -and  precious  stones.  .  .  .  And 
the  navy  also  of  Hiram,  that  brought  gold 
from  Ophir.     (I  Kings  10*2,  10-11.) 

In  the  book  of  Genesis,  we  are 
told  that  when  Abraham  went  into 
Mesopotamia  to  find  a  wife  for 
Isaac,  he  gave  to  Rebekah  "a  golden 
earring  of  half  a  shekel  weight,  also 
two  bracelets  for  her  hands  of  ten 
shekels  weight,"  and  after  the  be- 
trothal was  made,  presented  her 
"jewels  of  silver  and  jewels  of 
gold."    Pharaoh  wore  a  ring  upon 


ISu  f-^re5idevit 


OF  THE  FIRST  COUNCIL 


his  hand  which  he  took  off  and  put 
upon  Joseph's  hand,  and  he  also  put 
a  gold  chain  about  his  neck.  Gold- 
alluvial  gold  washed  from  the  sands 
of  rivers — was  used  from  earliest 
times.  Gold  ornaments  wrought 
3,000  years  before  the  Christian  era 
have  been  discovered  in  Egyptian 
tombs,  and  of  most  exquisite  work- 
manship. The  sacred  scarabaeus,  or 
beetle,  considered  by  the  Egyptians 
the  emblem  of  eternal  regeneration, 
has  been  found  in  golden  models. 
From  Greece  came  noted  goldsmiths 
of  ancient  days  who,  invited  to 
Rome  by  the  Emperor  Caesar 
Augustus,  and  others,  were  the  fash- 
ionable artificers  of  golden  brooches, 
necklaces,  bracelets,  and  earrings,  as 
well  as  elaborate  objects  studded 
with  precious  stones.  Quantities  of 
wonderful  jewels  were  accumulated 
by  the  Emperor  Justinian  and  his 
successors  in  the  Church  of  St. 
Sophia  in  Rome.  The  Emperor 
Charlemagne  brought  from  Byzan- 
tium noted  jewelers  and  goldsmiths. 
His  crown  and  sword  are  still  pre- 
served in  the  Imperial  Treasure  of 
Vienna.  His  crown  was  composed 
of  eight  plates  of  gold,  four  larger 
than  the  others,  joined  together  by 
hinges.  The  large  pieces  are  studded 
with  different  gems,  while  the  small- 
er are  enameled  with  figures  and  in- 


Gold  breast  ornaments,  from  Colombia,  the  largest  measuring  ten  inches 


206 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


Ancient  times 


<=>Lei/i  (Ldaar    Lye 


OF  THE  SEVENTY 


oun 


9 


scriptions.  Britons  and  Anglo-Sax- 
ons alike  wore  necklaces  of  beads, 
often  made  of  gold  and  silver. 
Amethysts  set  in  gold  and  hanging 
from  a  band  have  been  found.  The 
belts  and  girdles  of  the  Anglo- 
Saxons  were  ornamented  very  elab- 
orately. Not  only  were  the  buckles 
by  which  they  were  fastened  of  the 
richest  workmanship,  but  they  were 
sometimes  enriched  with  plates  of 
gold  beautifully  cased  and  set  with 
precious  stones  or  jewels. 

The  word  jewel  is  significant.  It 
means  a  "thing  of  joy,"  the  diminu- 
tive of  the  French  word  pie.  It  was 
applied  to  precious  stones  and  pre- 
cious metals  because  they  have  been 
used  from  the  earliest  stages  of  civ- 
ilization to  commemorate  and  signal- 
ize human  joy. 

"In  ancient  days,"  says  Maurice 
Maeterlinck,  "the  search  for  gold 
was  only  a  symbol  concealing  the 
search  for  the  divine  faculties  in 
man."  Gold  was  the  emblem  of 
purity  and  formed  a  part  of  the 
offering  of  the  Wise  Men  to  the  in- 
fant Savior. 

"Deter  Martyr  was  the  first  chron- 
icler of  events  of  Spanish  his- 
tory in  America.  His  book,  De  Orbe 
Novo,  tells  how  the  Spaniards 
through  their  ".  .  .  insatiable  desire 
for    gold,     oppressed     these    poor 


wretches  with  extreme  labor  and 
toil  to  find  gold,  although  before 
the  Spaniards  came,  the  natives 
lived  pleasantly  and  at  liberty,  given 
Only  to  plays  and  pastimes,  as  danc- 
ing, hunting,  fishing.  .  .  ." 

Chaplain  Juan  Diaz  mentions  that 
in  the  first  voyages  along  the  coasts 
(Yucatan),  "a  mask  of  gold  was 
obtained."  He  says  that  one  day 
the  "cacique  told  an  Indian  that  he 
should  clothe  the  Captain  (Crijal- 
va),  and  the  Indian  dressed  him  in 
a  corselet  and  some  armlets  of  gold, 
and  on  his  head  he  placed  a  crown 
of  gold,  only  that  the  crown  was 
made  of  very  thin  gold  leaves." 

Marshall  H.  Saville,  in  his  Gold- 
smiths' Art  in  Ancient  Mexico, 
gives  the  translation  of  a  report  of 
one  of  the  soldiers  under  Cortez,  F. 
Francisco  de  Aguilar.  Sr.  Aguilar 
"was  a  devout  soldier  and  devout 
man."  He  was  wealthy  and  had  the 
support  of  many  Indians.  He  joined 
the  order  of  Dominicans,  and,  when 
over  eighty  years  of  age,  he  wrote 
his  famous  account  of  the  Indians 
and  Cortez.  The  manuscript  has 
only  recently  been  found  in  one  of 
the  old  libraries  of  Spain.  It  was 
apparently  written  about  1579.  He 
with  other  soldiers  found  the  ward- 
robe and  treasure  of  Montezuma 
and,  after  describing  how  they  had 
discovered  a  secret  chamber  in  one 
of  the  palaces  of  Montezuma,  says: 

When  it  was  open  Cortes  and  some  of 

his  captains  went  in   first,   and   they  saw 

such   a   number  of   jewels   and   slabs   and 

plates  of  gold  and  other  great  riches,  that 

(Concluded  on  page  208) 


Sheet  gold  ornament  over  ten  inches  long  from  Vasca,  Peru 


Gold  ornaments,  from  Chiriqui,  Panama 


■I  •     ,      ■: : 


Gold  Crown  from  Sigsig,  Ecuador 


Gold  breast  ornament  ten  and  a  half  inches  in 
diameter,  Colombia 


APRIL  1949 


207 


(Concluded  from  page  207) 
they  were  quite  carried  away  and  did  not 
know  what  to  say  about  such  wealth.  The 
news  soon  spread  among  all  the  other  cap- 
tains and  soldiers,  and  very  secretly  we 
went  in  to  see  it.  When  I  saw  it,  I  mar- 
veled, and  as  at  that  time  I  was  a  youth 
and  had  never  seen  such  riches  as  those 
in  my  life  before,  I  took  it  for  certain  that 
there  could  not  be  another  such  store  of 
wealth  in  the  whole  world.  It  was  decided 
by  all  our  captains  and  soldiers  that  we 
should  not  dream  of  touching  a  particle  of 
it,  but  that  the  stones  should  immediately 
be  put  back  in  the  doorway,  and  it  should 
be  sealed  up  and  cemented  just  as  we 
found  it,  and  that  it  should  not  be  spoken 
about,  lest  it  should  reach  Montezuma's 
ears,  until  times  should  alter. 

Bernal  Diaz  also  describes  the 
secret  chamber  and  writes: 

When  it  was  opened,  Cortes  and  some 
of  his  captains  went  in  first  and  they  saw 
such  a  number  of  jewels  and  slabs  and 
plates  of  gold  .  .  .  and  other  great  riches, 
that  they  were  quite  carried  away  and  did 
not  know  what  to  say  of  such  wealth. 

None  of  this  loot  is  known  to  ex- 
ist. Many  estimates  as  to  the  value 
of  it  have  been  made.  Prescott,  in 
his  Conquest  of  Mexico,  makes  the 
amount  in  present-day  money  $6,- 
300,000. 

In  a  report  of  the  jewels,  shields, 
and  clothing  sent  to  the  Emperor 
Charles  the  Fifth  by  Cortez  and 
the  Town  Council  of  Vera  Cruz, 
we  find  reference  made  to  two  books 
that  the  Indians  had  made.  The 
sentence  reads: 

Moreover  two  books  of  those  which  the 
Indians  have  here. 

It  is  not  certain  just  what  was 
meant  by  this  statement. 

Oaxaca  is  a  valley  in  southern 
Mexico,  where  many  towns  existed 
in  ancient  days.  From  this  region 
were  sent  to  Montezuma  twenty 
large  gold  plaques  the  size  of  aver- 
age plates  and  the  thickness  of  the 
thumb.  The  Mexican  natives  were 
able  to  work  the  metal  into  very 
thin  gold  leaf.  Sahagun,  in  his 
scholarly  work  on  the  "Things  of 
New  Spain,"  says  that  they  worked 
gold  with  the  hammer,  pounding  it 
to  make  it  thin  like  paper. 

Padre  Gay  mentions  that  the 
Mixtecan  Indians  ".  .  .  sold  to  some 
European  antiquarians,  very  thin 
plates  of  gold,  evidently  worked 
with  the  hammer,  which  their  an- 
cestors were  about  to  preserve,  on 
which  were  engraved  ancient  hiero- 
glyphs." In  the  work  written  by 
208 


GOLDSMITHS  OF  ANCIENT  TIMES 

Carl  Lumholtz,  entitled  Unknown 
Mexico,  Vol.  II,  p.  295,  is  a  descrip- 
tion of  the  finding  of  two  skeletons; 
on  the  breast  of  one  of  the  dead 
was  a  large  plate  of  solid  hammered 
gold  which  had  been  used  as  an 
ornament. 

'\\7'ith  the  discovery  of  America, 
Spanish  and  Italian  noblemen 
led  expeditions  to  the  Indies,  Mex- 
ico, and  South  America.  Through 
the  search  in  ancient  burial  grounds, 
enormous  quantities  of  gold,  fash- 
ioned in  a  multitude  of  forms,  have 
been  discovered.  The  countries 
where  gold  is  most  abundant  in 
graves,  are  Colombia,  Ecuador,  and 
Peru;  and  the  ancient  peoples  of 
Ecuador  were  among  the  most 
proficient  workers  of  gold  in  South 
America.  The  German  archeologist, 
Dr.  Max  Uhle,  is  quoted  in  a 
brochure  published  by  the  Heye 
Foundation  of  New  York  City  as 
finding  an  immense  amount  of  gold 
in  the  province  and  town  of  Sigsig. 
One  tomb  alone  contained  forty- 
four  pounds  of  gold  and  another 
over  two  hundred  pounds.  Dr.  Uhle 
describes  a  deep  shaft  in  which  a 
skeleton  was  found  covered  with 
gold  and  silver  plates,  alternating 
regularly,  as  if  they  had  been  af- 
fixed to  a  cloak  thrown  over  the 
body.  "This  cloak  may  have  had  a 
fringe  formed  of  small  tubes  of  gold. 
The  arms  were  discovered  with 
bracelets  and  the  head  with  a  crown 
all  of  pure  gold.  Chonta-wood 
sticks  were  found  covered  with 
lamellae  (leaves)  of  gold."  We 
read  further  that  gold  leaf  of  the 
finest  quality  and  as  thin  as  paper 
has  been  found  in  great  quantities. 
On  some  of  the  lamellae  ate  care- 
fully carved  hieroglyphics.  Gold 
plates,  held  together  by  small  gold 
nails,  are  shown  in  the  Museum  at 
>  Quito.  Gold  bangles  attached  to 
crowns  worn  by  ancient  "kings" 
were  fastened  with  gold  wires.  The 
article  written  by  Marshall  Saville 


THE  MORNING  STAR 

By  Adcienne  L.  DeWitt 

HPhe   Great   Designer   placed    a    flawless 
■*•    gem 

Upon  the  trailing,  velvet  hem  of  Night. 
He  pinned   this  perfect,  sparkling   diadem 
Upon  her  draperies  to  give  delight 
To  countless  millions   of  the  human   race 
Who  gaze  upon  this  harbinger  of  light 
That  lovely  Night  so  gracefully  displays. 


from  which  we  have  obtained  our 
information  concerning  the  gold 
plates,  crowns,  and  rings  of  ancient 
Ecuador  and  Peru,  says: 

We  may  say  that  the  picture  presented 
by  the  occurrence  of  vast  quantities  of 
gold  artifacts  in  the  various  culture  areas 
of  South  America  .  .  .  shows  a  glittering 
magnificence  in  connection  with  the  cere- 
monial and  civic  life  of  the  people  which 
perhaps  were  not  excelled  even  in  ancient 
Egypt  or  Etruria.  In  the  native  architec- 
ture there  is  evidence  that  precious  metals 
were  used  to  sheath  the  rooms  of  impor- 
tant buildings. 

Beautiful  gold  plates  were  col- 
lected by  the  museums  of  Eu- 
rope before  World  War  I.  The 
writer  saw  in  the  Royal  Museum  of 
Berlin,  some  years  ago.  a  large  and 
beautiful  assortment  of  gold  plates, 
some  of  them  circular  and  others 
rectangular  or  square.  Some  were 
as  thin  as  an  ordinary  sheet  of  paper 
and  showed  careful  workmanship. 
There  was  no  writing  on  them,  but 
they  were  found  in  the  old  temples 
of  the  Mayas  and  were  made  ages 
ago. 

Of  recent  date,  the  writer  was 
shown  the  collection  of  gold  plates 
now  in  the  collection  of  the  Museum 
of  the  American  Indian  in  New 
York  City.  The  plates  were  about 
twelve  inches  long  by  ten  inches 
wide  and  as  thin  as  ordinary  paper. 
They  were  of  beautiful  workman- 
ship, and  quoting  the  words  of  the 
old  historian,  Las  Casas,  when  he 
had  seen  the  thousands  of  gold 
fabrics  in  Mexico,  that  the  work- 
manship ".  .  .  appeared  like  a  dream, 
and  not  as  if  made  by  man's  hands." 

From  the  writings  of  the  Abbe 
Francisco  Clavijero,  Antonio  De 
Solis,  Garcilasso  de  la  Vega  and 
other  noted  Spanish  historians  of 
the  days  of  the  Spanish  Conquest  of 
America,  we  learn  that  gold  plates 
were  made  in  all  the  ages  of  the 
history   of   the   peoples   of   ancient 

America. 

*       *       * 

The  ancient  records  of  the  for- 
bears of  the  American  Indians,  writ- 
ten on  gold  plates  which  were  given 
to  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith  by  the 
Angel  Moroni,  must  have  been  very 
beautiful.  After  their  translation  by 
the  Prophet,  under  the  title  of  the 
Book  of  Mormon,  the  plates  were 
given  back  to  Moroni;  and  today  the 
book  is  one  of  the  most  widely  read 
sacred  books  that  we  have. 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


"Off  the  Record" 


OUR  neighbor  Jean  came  over  the 
other  evening.  She  looked  dis- 
traught. If  there  were  some  way 
of  taking  mental  temperatures,  I'm 
sure  hers  would  have  registered  at 
least  1 04.  We  all  love  Jean.  She  is 
enthusiastic  and  eager  —  a  "good 
kid"  who  always  lifts  her  share  of 
the  load. 


dered  which  Jean  needed  most — the 
chance  to  unburden  her  soul  or  to 
get  a  good  night's  sleep.  Sadness 
and  weariness  seem  to  belong  to  the 
same  sympathetic  nervous  system, 
and  often  curing  the  latter  auto- 
matically  dispels  the  former  so  I 
thought  that  perhaps  we  should  en- 
courage Jean  to  go  home  and  get 
some  sleep.  But  Jean  wanted  to 
talk.  So  we  talked.  I  hope  that 
afterwards  she  slept.  I  did — eventu- 
ally. 


I 


"What's  the  matter,  Jeannie?" 
one  of  us  asked.  An  arm  went 
around  her  shoulder  in  friendly  con- 
cern. 

Jean  laughed  in  a  surprised  sort 
of  way  as  if  she  hadn't  expected 
anyone  to  sense  her  mental  turmoil 
and  then  burst  into  tears.  It  didn't 
last  long — Jean  isn't  given  to  pro- 
longed weeping.  Gradually  we  got 
the  story. 

No,  her  family  were  not  sick.  Her 
boy  friend  had  neither  died  nor 
deserted  her.  Her  school  work  was 
going  well  enough.  But  she  had  just 
come  from  a  "work  party." 

"What  sort  of  work  party?" 

A  school  organization  to  which 
she  belonged  was  having  its  big 
spring  dinner  dance.  The  work 
party  met  to  make  favors  and  dec- 
orations for  the  big  affair. 

Hadn't  they  "turned  out"? 

Oh,  yes,  everything  was  beauti- 
ful, but  the  talk  that  had  gone  on 
as  they  worked  had  left  her  feeling 
that  she  had  taken  a  beating. 

"A  browbeating?"  we  suggested 
• — attempting  the  light  touch. 

"Black  and  blue  all  over — espe- 
cially blue."  Jean  smiled,  but  the 
tears  started  up  again. 

It  was  getting  late,  and  I  won- 

APRIL  1949 


I  urged.  "Run  along  home  now. 
You  need  to  be  beautiful  and  bright 
in  the  morning,  and  sleep  will  do  it. 
And  come  back  as  soon  as  you  can." 
asked  about  the  work  party  con-  Her  radiant  smile  came  forth.   "I 

versation.  What  had  they  talked  feel  better  already.  Isn't  it  funny 
about?  Jean  found  it  hard  to  re-  how  talking  helps  sometimes^espe- 
member  exactly.  They  had  talked  cially  as  a  cure  for  other  talking?" 
about   religion    and    the    Church — 

about  girl  and  boy  friendships  and      QHE  hasn't  been  over  again,  but  I 
marriage,  about  politics.    The  talk  hope  she  will  come  soon  because 

had  rambled  and  jumped  about  as     there  are  a  couple  of  ideas  I'd  like  to 
conversation  sometimes  does.    The     talk  over  with  her.    This  is  what  I 

think  I'd  like  to  say  to  Jean: 

First.  Don't  take  these  con- 
versations too  hard.  Words  come 
cheap  to  many  people,  and  some- 
times they  come  "cheaper  by  the 
thousand."   These  cheap  words  are 


thing  that  had  worn  on  Jean  was 
that  none  of  the  talk  had  been  in 
any  way  constructive.  Oh,  yes,  it 
had  been  witty.  Some  of  it  had  been 
hilariously  funny  if  you  felt  that 
way  about  it,  but  it  had  been  full  of 


criticism,  self-justification,  of  catty  used  by  various  people  for  various 
gossip,  of  a  chip-on-the-shoulder  reasons.  To  some  they  are  a  chance 
attitude — of  deep  pessimism.  to   "let   off   steam."    To  others,   a 


After  a  few 
"now- wait  -  a  -  min- 
utes," made  in  an 
ineffectual  attempt 
to  stop  the  bar- 
rage, Jean  had  just 
subsided  and 
quietly  worked  on 
the  favors.  But  she 
felt  "spent"  out  of 
all  proportion  to  the  amount  of  time 
and  labor  given  to  the  evening. 

"Why,"  she  finished,  "one  of  the 
girls  said  'who  cares  what  happens 
to  us  in  the  next  life?  We'll  want 
to  be  with  our  friends  anyway,  so 
we  might  just  as  well  do  as  our 
friends  do.'  " 


By 
MARY  BRENTNALL 


chance  to  show  off. 
Some  use  them  ^o 
stir  up  argument. 
One  young  man 
may  use  a  destruc- 
tive comment  in 
the  mistaken  idea 
that  in  tearing 
down  another  he 
is  building  up  him- 
may  use  poisonous 


self.    One  girl 

words  in  a  desperate  attempt  to  put 
drama  and  excitement  into  her 
bored  days.  Stupid  words  can  be 
an  expression  of  illness  of  the  body 
or  fatigue  of  the  spirit. 

If  you  are  in  a  group  where  the 
conversation     is     clearly     cheap — 
"Oh,  she  was  just  kidding,"  some-     where  it  becomes  offensive  or  dispir- 
one  said  consolingly.  iting,  you  have  two  or  three  courses 

"No,  she  wasn't.  She  is  engaged  open  to  you.  Which  course  you 
to  a  boy  who  doesn't  belong  to  the  take  will  depend  upon  two  things— 
Church,  and  she  was  trying  to  make  exactly  how  much  you  are  upset 
herself  feel  good  about  it."  by  the  conversation  and  how  much 

"Well,   she's   thinking   in  gear,"     the   individuals   belonging    to    this 
said    the    engineer    of    the    family,     particular  group  mean  to  you. 
"reverse,  of  course,  but  definitely  in         If,  normally,  you  enjoy  and  ad- 
gear,  mire  these  young  men  and  women, 
"Let's  talk  about  it  again,  Jean,"  {Continued  on  page  249) 

209 


"Photograph,  courtesy  Hawaii  Visitors  Bureau 
Air  view  of  Honolulu,  harbor  to  mountains 


II 


mddison's  apprehension  about  what 
/I  might  happen  to  him  alone  in 
**  this  strange  world  in  the  middle 
of  the  Pacific  proved  to  be  justified, 
for  no  sooner  had  the  tip  of  the  out- 
rigger canoe  touched  the  shore  of 
the  island  than  his  troubles  began. 
He  knew  two  of  the  natives  aboard 
the  canoe.  These  men,  whom  Addi- 
son had  hired  to  take  him  ashore, 
had  been  members  of  the  Rambler's 
crew  and  could  speak  some  English. 
The  third  native  was  a  stranger. 
His  presence  caused  no  concern  to 
the  young  American,  however,  as 
they  were  in  opposite  ends  of  the 
canoe.  But  when  the  bow  of  the 
craft  slid  upon  the  white  sands  of 
the  beach,  the  stranger  gathered  up 
one  of  Addison's  two  sea  bags  into 
his  arms,  leaped  on  shore,  and,  with 
a  few  quick  steps,  disappeared  into 
the  darkness  among  the  dense  tropi- 
cal foliage  that  bordered  the  beach. 
He  was  stealing  Addison's  clothes! 
Addison's  first  inclination  was  to 
try  to  catch  the  thief,  but  he  quickly 
saw  the  hopelessness  of  such  a  plan. 
210 


Then  the  thought  flashed  through 
his  mind  that  the  three  natives 
might  have  plotted  to  relieve  him 
of  all  of  his  clothes.  He  knew  that 
clothing  was  at  a  premium  on  the 
islands.  He  also  realized  that  the 
two  men  who  had  been  aboard  the 
ship  knew  that  he  was  well  supplied. 
So,  instantly  he  turned  around  to 
direct  his  attention  to  the  second 
bag.  Surely  enough,  it  was  already  in 
the  possession  of  the  other  men,  who 
were  carrying  it  away.  Making  a 
running  dive  for  the  bag,  Addison 
wrapped  his  arms  around  it  in  a 
vice-like  grip,  and  a  brisk  scuffle  fol- 
lowed. Even  when  the  third  man 
returned  to  help  the  other  two,  Ad- 
dison showed  no  signs  of  giving  up 
the  fight.  Then  when  he  threatened 
to  raise  a  party  of  runaway  white 
sailors  and  tear  down  the  houses  of 
the  natives,  two  of  the  men  slipped 
away  into  the  darkness.  The  third, 
wfoom  Addison  knew  as  "Harry," 
remained,  demanding  payment  for 
bringing  him  ashore. 

"I  won't  pay  you  anything;  you 
have  stolen  my  bag  of  clothes,"  Ad- 
dison retorted. 


"You  pay.  I  bring  bag  back,"  the 
native  promised. 

Addison  reached  into  his  pocket. 
He  hated  to  part  with  his  only 
pocket  knife,  but  he  had  promised  it 
as  payment,  and  although  he  never 
expected  to  see  the  stolen  bag  again, 
he  felt  fortunate  to  have  retained 
possession  of  the  one.  So  he  handed 
the  knife  to  the  native.  Then,  swing- 
ing his  bag  to  his  shoulder,  he  made 
his  way  through  the  coconut  palms 
to  the  house  of  Mr.  Crown. 


MISSION 


Addison  was  soon  to  find  that 
although  Harry  had  learned  many 
tricks  from  the  white  sailors  with 
whom  he  had  been  associated,  the 
native  still  maintained  the  Polyne- 
sian trait  of  living  up  to  a  promise. 
And  a  short  time  after  Addison  ar- 
rived at  the  Crowns  Harry  walked 
in  with  the  bag.  Throwing  the  bag 
upon  the  floor,  the  native,  seemingly 
disgusted  with  his  own  honesty,  re- 
minded Mr.  Crown  of  some  things 
he  already  knew — that  Addison  had 
run  away  from  the  ship  and  that 
there  would  soon  be  a  search  on  for 
him;  that  if  the  young  man  or  even 
his  clothes  were  found  on  the 
Crown  premises,  Mr.  Crown  would 
be  punished  for  aiding  a  deserter. 

Addison  had  planned  to  hide  out 
in  the  mountains,  but  he  knew  he 
could  not  take  the  bags  with  him. 
He  also  did  not  want  Mr.  Crown 
to  get  in  trouble  because  of  him. 
But  somehow  his  new-found  friend 
liked  the  "cut  of  his  iib."  "You  go 
ahead,"  he  said.  "I'll  keep  your 
clothes  safe  for  you  someway." 

At  the  first  signs  of  daylight,  Ad- 
dison headed  for  the  mountains. 
Making  his  way  up  what  is  now 
Nuuanu  Valley,  he  was  soon  over- 
taken by  a  native  man  and  boy  who 
accompanied  him  far  into  the  moun- 
tains to  a  distillery  where  a  number 
of  men  were  engaged  in  making  rum 
from  tea  root.  Obtaining  a  bottle  of 
the  spirits,  the  man  handed  it  to 
Addison  saying,  "A  inu!  a  inul" 
and  indicating  that  he  should  drink. 
Again  Addison  sensed  treachery. 
All  his  life  he  had  been  taught  not 
to  drink  intoxicating  beverages.  He 
had  also  heard  stories  of  how  sail- 
ors, after  becoming  drunk,  had 
been  stripped  of  their  clothes.    So 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


he  refused.  Even  when  all  the  men 
working  at  the  distillery  encouraged 
him  to  drink,  he  still  withstood. 

When  the  workers  found  that  they 
could  not  influence  the  young  man, 
they  insisted  that  he  leave  and  go 
back  to  town  with  the  two  natives. 
Realizing  that  he  was  not  safe  here, 
Addison  decided  to  start  back  down 
the  trail. 

Why  did  they  want  him  to  return 
to  town?  Did  they  know  who  he 
was?     Studying    the    man    closely, 


turn  to  the  city,  he  descended  to 
the  bottom  of  the  canyon,  lay  on 
his  stomach  on  the  bank  of  a  clear 
stream  of  water,  and  drank  slowly, 
hoping  that  this  would  allay  his 
hunger.  Then  after  gathering  some 
dry  grass  which  he  bunched  up  by 
a  rock  ledge,  he  sat  down  upon  it, 
thinking  this  position  would  be 
warmer  than  a  lying  one,  and  again 
went  to  sleep.  Dreams?  Yes! — Of 
Winchester,  of  home,  of  loved  ones! 
But  when  he  awoke  after  a  short 


V"  M.        V     JJ     1     11    II    U    1    l\  ASS'T  MANAGING  EDITOR 

The  Story  of  Addison  Pratt 

And  The 

Society  Islands  Mission 


Addison  thought  he  recognized  him 
as  being  the  third  man  in  the  canoe 
the  night  before — the  one  who  had 
taken  his  bag.  Was  this  part  of 
another  plot?  Was  he  to  be  lured 
into  the  city  and  turned  over  to  the 
authorities?  Addison  did  not  know, 
but  he  did  know  that  he  could  not 
take  a  chance,  so  he  watched  for  an 
opportunity  to  give  them  the  slip. 

Coming  to  a  spot  where  the  path 
ran  around  the  top  of  a  deep  gulley, 
of  a  sudden,  he  dodged  off  the  trail 
into  the  luxuriant  tropical  growth. 
Then,  with  all  possible  speed,  keep- 
ing hidden  all  the  time,  he  made  his 
way  to  the  bottom  of  the  canyon 
and  ascended  the  mountain  on  the 
other  side.  By  the  time  he  reached  a 
point  where  he  thought  he  was  safe, 
and  from  which  he  could  see  the 
path  below,  he  was  thoroughly  ex- 
hausted. So  he  lay  down  to  rest, 
and  soon  fell  asleep.  A  little  later 
he  was  awakened  by  the  chattering 
of  a  bird  on  a  nearby  bough.  Look- 
ing below,  he  saw  several  men 
searching  through  the  foliage  where 
he  had  first  jumped  off  the  trail. 
Springing  to  his  feet,  he  slipped 
again  into  the  underbrush  and 
scrambled  up  the  mountain,  not 
stopping  until  he  was  far  out  of 
reach  of  his  pursuers.  Then  he  lay 
down,  and  again  was  soon  asleep. 

A  ddison  awoke  with  hunger  pains 

gnawing  at  his  stomach.    It  was 

dark,  and  he  was  cold.  What  could 

he  do?    Fighting  off  a  desire  to  re- 

APRIL  1949 


time,  he  was  still  alone  in  a  foreign 
land,  benumbed  with  cold  and  weak 
with  hunger.  And  so  the  night 
passed. 

At  daylight,  Addison  again 
ascended  the  mountains  to  a  safe 
height  and  spent  most  of  the  day 
sleeping  in  the  warm  sun.  When 
night  came,  he  returned  to  the 
stream  in  the  bottom  of  the  canyon 
and  his  pile  of  grass  by  the  rock 
ledge,  and  although  his  hunger 
pains  by  this  time  had  grown  in 
intensity,  still  his  determination  to 


stay  hidden  until  after  the  ship 
sailed,  kept  him  from  going  in 
search  of  food.  So,  again  he  sat 
down  on  the  grass  to  spend  another 
long  night.  This  time  his  dreams 
were  not  of  honied  but  rather  of  food 
and  eating. 

By  morning  almost  sixty  hours 
had  passed  since  he  had  eaten,  and 
his  extreme  hunger  at  last  drove 
him  away  from  his  hiding  place.  But 
rather  than  turn  to  the  coast  where 
he  might  be  caught,  he  decided  to 
explore  the  valleys  inland.  He  found 
no  one  at  work  at  the  distillery,  as 
it  was  Sunday,  but  at  a  small  house 
beyond,  he  was  given  a  very  small 
portion  of  boiled  potatoes  and  bitter 
herbs.  At  another  house  farther  up 
the  valley,  he  was  invited  to  stop 
by  a  woman  and  some  children  and 
given  a  slice  of  a  fruit  he  had  never 
tasted  before — pineapple.  Just  as 
he  was  finishing  eating  the  delicious 
fruit,  an  old  man  appeared.  He  was 
fierce  looking  with  his  head  shaved 
on  both  sides  so  as  to  leave  a  strip 
of  long  hair  extending  from  his 
forehead  to  the  back  of  his  neck. 
After  looking  suspiciously  at  Addi- 
son, the  man  began  talking  excited- 
ly with  the  members  of  the  house- 
hold. Soon  some  neighbors  were 
called  over,  and  they  all  jabbered  so 
much  and  set  up  such  a  commotion 
that  Addison,  who  was  already  ill 
at  ease,  became  more  and  more 
frightened.  He  had  heard  that  these 
Sandwich  Islanders  had  eaten  Cap- 
tain Cook,  and,  being  unable  to 
comprehend  a  thing  they  were  talk- 
ing about,  he  suspected  that  they 
were  planning  to  bake  him  in  one  of 
their  underground  ovens. 

"I  must  get  away  from  here,"  he 
thought.  "Yes,  that's  it.  Wander 
back  and  forth,  slowly  at  first,  so  as 
not  to  arouse  suspicion.  Try  not  to 
appear  frightened.  That's  it!  Now 
slip  behind  this  bush.  Now  run — !" 

And  run  he  did.  Notwithstanding 
his  weakened  condition,  he  streaked 
down  the  trail  for  a  half  mile  or 
more  "at  a  rate  that  would  have 
surprised  a  horse,"  imagining  all  the 
time  that  a  dozen  flesh-hungry  can- 
nibals were  in  hot  pursuit  behind 
him. 

When  he  had  run  as  far  as  he 
could,  he  used  the  trick  that  had 
proved  so  successful  once  before, 
and  dodged  off  the  trail  into  the 
thick  underbrush.  There  he  re- 
mained, hardly  daring   to  breathe, 

(Continued  on  page  252) 

211 


The  Dilemma 


i 


V— Conclusion 

N  his  younger  days  St.  Augustine 

...  dared  promise  not  only  paradise  but 
also  the  kingdom  of  the  heavens  to  un- 
baptized  children,  since  he  could  find  no 
other  escape  from  being  forced  to  say  that 
God  damns  innocent  spirits  to  eternal 
death.  .  .  .  But  when  he  realized  that  he 
had  spoken  ill  in  saying  that  the  spirits  of 
children  would  be  redeemed  without  the 
grace  of  Christ  into  eternal  life  and  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  and  that  they  could 
be  delivered  from  the  original  sin  without 
the  baptism  of  Christ  by  which  comes  re- 
mission of  sins — realizing  into  what  a  deep 
and  tumultuous  shipwreck  he  had  thrown 
himself  ...  he  saw  that  there  was  no  other 
escape  than  to  repent  of  what  he  had 
said.1* 

The  saint  was  in  a  trap,  with  es- 
cape blocked  at  both  ends — a  ter- 
rible dilemma,  the  only  refuge  from 
a,  cruel  God  leading  straight  to  a 
weak  law,  which  is  no  escape  at  all, 
but  "shipwreck."  Only  baptism  for 
the  dead  can  avoid  these  catastroph- 
ic extremes,  but  that  is  out.  The 
Pelagians  tried  to  dodge  the  issue 
by  putting  a  soft  seat,  quasi  medium 
locum,  between  the  horns,  positing  a 
colorless  limbo  which  satisfied  no 
one  and  which  Augustine  brushes 
aside  with  the  declaration  that  there 
is  no  middle  region,  and  that  the 
baptized  will  go  to  hell  and  nowhere 
else.188  Only  this  does  not  satisfy 
Augustine  either;  he  characteristi- 
cally tries  to  eat  his  cake  and  have 
it  with  the  declaration  that  unbap- 
tized  children  must  be  damned,  com- 
pletely damned,  and  be  with  the 
devil  in  hell,  only,  he  explains,  they 
will  be  damned  "most  gently" 
(mitissime)^  In  such  a  liberal  spir- 
it, Bottom,  the  weaver,  in  order  not 
to  frighten  the  ladies  while  playing 
the  role  of  a  most  terrible  lion, 
promised  to  "roar  you  as  gently  as 
any  sucking  dove."  (Shakespeare, 
Midsummer  Night's  Dream,  Act  I, 
Sc.  2.)  A  "gentle"  damnation,  in- 
deed! 

It  is  interesting  that  Augustine 
can  still  report  that  there  actually 
are 

...  a  few  who  believe  that  that  custom 
was  part  of  the  gospel  according  to  which 
the  work  of  substitutes  for  the  dead  was 
effective,  and.  the  members  of  the  dead  were 
laved  with  the  waters  of  baptism,1*0 

thus  confusing  baptism  for  the  dead 
(use  of  substitutes)  with  baptism  of 
the  dead.  The  universal  opinion 
after  Augustine  is  that  there  is  no 

•Numbers,    continued    from    last    month,     refer    to 
bibliography  at  .end  of  article..  S 

212 


hope  whatever  for  the  unbaptized 
dead.  Typical  is  the  statement  of 
his  famous  contemporary,  St.  Am- 
brose, that  to  die  without  baptism  is 
to  go  to  eternal  misery,"1  while  an- 
other contemporary,  St.  Basil,  says 
simply,  "It  is  damnation  to  die  with- 
out baptism,"182  and  yet  another, 
Gregory  of  Nyssen,  draws  the 
shocking  but  logical  conclusion  that: 

It  is  better  to  be  found  among  the  number 
of  the  wicked  who  have  reverted  to  sin 
after  baptism  than  to  end  one's  life  without 
having  received  baptism.188 

This  immoral  doctrine  that  places 
ritual  conformity  before  good  works 
is  simply  one  of  the  unavoidable 
consequences  of  denying  baptism 
for  the  dead.  "We  cannot  believe 
that  any  catechumen,  even  though 
he  dies  in  the  midst  of  his  good 
works,  will  have  eternal  life,"  wrote 
Gennadius,  to  whom  the  catechu- 
men's ardent  desire  for  baptism 
counts  for  nothing.194  Compare  this 
to  the  teaching  of  the  Shepherd  of 
Hermas  who  concludes  the  passage 
referred  to  above  with  the  words: 

They  died  in  righteous  and  great  purity, 
and  this  seal  was  the  only  thing  they 
lacked. 


A  famous 
poem  of  the 
Middle  Ages 
tells  how  the 
Apostle  Paul 
was  led  to 
the  grave  of 
the  poet  Vir- 
gil, who  had 
died  just  too 
soon  to  hear 
the  gospel 
preached;  the 
saint  stands 
beside  the 
tomb  shed- 
ding tears  of 
bitter  frustra- 
tion, the  pic- 
ture of  help- 
1  e  s  s  n  e  s  s  : 
"What  I 
could  have 
made  of  you, 
O  greatest  of 
poets,"  h  e 
cries,  "had  I 
only  found 
you  alive!"188 
As  it  is,  there 
is  nothing  the 


The  Jordan  River  meanders  like  a  tidewater 
stream  through  the  flood  plain 


BAPTISM  FOR  THE 


Gennadius  and  his  church  would 
damn  them  for  that,  but  not  so  the 
early  church.  The  Shepherd  ex- 
plains: 

For  this  reason  they  [the  Apostles]  went 
down  living  with  them  into  the  water  .  .  . 
and  gave  them  life  .  .  .  and  came  up  out 
again  with  them,  and  were  gathered  up 
together  with  them, 

that  all  might  share  eternal  life.196 
The  contrast  is  instructive. 

And  how  about  "the  gates  of  hell"? 
'  They  seem  to  be  "prevailing"  in 
fine  style.  Augustine  "...  would 
that  God  had  saved  from  hell"  those 
good  and  great  schoolmen  of  ancient 
times  who  from  their  chairs  pro- 
claimed the  divine  unity,  but  stern 
reason  forbids  it.198  Not  long  after 
him  Ennodius 

In  his  Libellus  in  defence  of  Pope  Sym- 
machus  .  .  .  pictures  the  Imperial  City 
lamenting  the  fate  of  her  famous  and 
mighty  sons  .  .  .  who,  unredeemed  by  the 
Church,  were  doomed  to  hell,  because  they 
had  lived  before  the  coming  of  Christ.187 


&,  J4u9k  mtey,  PL2). 


church  can  do  about  it,  and  poor 
Virgil  is  forever  damned.  If  you 
doubt  it,  behold  him  in  the  fourth 
canto  of  the  Inferno,  conducting  the 
dejected  Dante  into  an  horrible 
region  ".  .  .  of  infinite  woes  .  .  . 
deep  darkness  and  mist  ...  a  blind 
world,"  at  the  sight  of  which  Virgil 
himself  turns  pale.  "You  ask  what 
spirits  these  are  that  you  see?"  he 
asks  the  younger  poet: 

They  are  not  here  because  of  sin,  and  if 
they  lack  a  sufficient  boon  of  mercy,  it  is 
for  not  having  been  baptized.  .  .  .  Having 
lived  before  the  days  of  Christianity  they 
did  not  duly  worship  God;  and  I  am  one 
of  them — we  are  lost  for  that  one  failing 
and  not  for  any  sin;  for  that  offence  alone 
we  live  in  hopeless  longing!198 

He  then  tells  indeed  of  Christ's 
visit  to  that  world,  and  of  the  re- 
lease of  the  great  patriarchs  of  the 
Old  Testament,  but  adds,  "Aside 
from  them  not  another  human  spirit 
was    saved!"200     One   cannot   resist 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


-Photograph  from 

Three   Lions 


saying  with 
Peter  in  the 
Clementine 
account: 

A  good  and 
great  god  in- 
deed, who  ,  .  . 
damns  the  good 
.  .  .  simply  be- 
cause they  do 
not  know  him! 

So  much 
for  those  un- 
f  o  rtunates 
"who  lived 
before  h  i  s 
coming."  As 
for  those  who 
came  after,  a 
writing  to 
Peter  the 
Deacon 
states  that 

.  .  .  from  that 
time  when  our 
Savior  said, 
"Except  a  man 
be  born  of  wa- 
ter," etc.,  no 
one  lacking  the 
sacrament  o  f 
baptism    can 


an  earlier  day  found  simply  unthink- 
able and  immoral.  Even  the  stern 
St.  Bernard  when  faced  with  the 
cruel  logic  that  would  damn  ".  .  . 
good  persons,  who  meant  to  be 
baptized  but  were  prohibited  by 
death,"  balks  at  it,  "God  forgive 
me!"  he  cries,  but  he  cannot  admit 
they  are  damned,  though  his  church 
offers  him  no  alternative.303 

Come  divines  have  maintained  that 
the  human  race  was  brought  into 
existence  for  the  express  purpose  of 
filling  the  void  left  in  heaven  by  the 
fall  of  the  angels,  a  doctrine  im- 
pressively set  forth  by  the  preacher 
in  Joyce's  Portrait  of  the  Artist  As 
a  Young  Man;  yet  we  are  to  believe 
that  the  overwhelming  majority  of 
human  spirits  were  condemned  even 
before  their  creation  never  to  see 
heaven  at  all,  but  to  spend  eternity 
in  those  nether  regions  which,  so 
far  from  having  any  vacancies  to 
fill,  are,  to  follow  the  same  enlight- 
ened guide,  indescribably  over- 
crowded! And  they  defend  their  in- 
human doctrines  in  the  name  of 
reason  ! 
When   Christ   "went   down   and 


1/  Jj  ii  1/     in  ^Xfnclent   ^Jl 


ASSOCIATE  PROFESSOR  OF  HISTORY  AND 
RELIGION,  BRIGHAM  YOUNG  UNIVERSITY 

either  enter  the  kingdom  of  heaven  or  re- 
ceive eternal  life.201 

"O  grave  where  is  thy  victory,  O 
death  where  is  thy  sting?"  Where 
indeed!  By  a  conservative  estimate, 
the  unbaptized  should  represent  at 
the  very  least  ninety  percent  of  the 
human  family — a  substantial  victory 
for  the  grave  and  a  most  effective 
stinging  of  God's  children.  Says 
Fulgentius: 

You  are  to  believe  with  the  utmost  firm- 
ness that  all  .  .  .  who  end  this  present  life 
outside  the  Catholic  Church  are  to  go  to  the 
eternal  fire  which  is  prepared  for  the  devil 
and  his  angels.802 

It  is  cold  comfort  for  any  church  to 
claim  that  the  gates  of  hell  do  not 
prevail  against  its  small  minority, 
but  only  against  those  who  do  not 
belong  to  it;  that  is  the  very  doc- 
trine which,  as  we  saw  at  the  out- 
set of  this  study,  the  Christians  of 

APRIL  1949  i 


iwied 

preached  .  .  .  overcoming  death  by 
death,"204  he  delivered  those  who 
were  in  bondage  because  they  had 
never  completely  fulfilled  the  law 
of  obedience,  including  baptism  in 
particular.  Yet  that  is  the  very  class 
of  dead  whom  the  later  Christian 
churches  regard  as  beyond  saving. 
When  the  Roman  Church,  to  the 
loud  dismay  of  Paul,  Ennodius, 
Dante,  St.  Augustine,  etc.,  is 
absolutely  helpless  to  open  the 
gates  of  hell — and  hence  of  heaven 
—to  her  beloved  Virgil  she  fails  to 
fill  in  the  most  important  qualification 
of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ;  and 
that  very  verse  of  scripture  upon 
which  she  rests  the  full  weight  of 
her  vast  pretentions,  letting  the 
world  think  against  all  knowledge 
that  "the  gates  of  hell"  is  but  a 
poetic  generalization,  that  verse  con- 
demns her  utterly.205 

At  present  the  justification  of  the 
Christian  churches  for  denying  bap- 
tism for  the  dead  may  be  found  in 
the  statement  that  "...  the  church 


believes  that  baptism  operates  only 
on  the  person  who  receives  it."208  To 
be  sure,  and  is  there  anything  wrong 
with  receiving  it  by  proxy?  Is  it 
not  a  far  more  extravagant  arrange- 
ment to  have  an  infant  at  baptism 
accept  the  gospel  by  proxy,  as  most 
churches  do?  Those  offering  the 
child  for  baptism,  we  are  told,  an- 
swer for  if,*"  and  the  little  one  be- 
lieves "through  another"  {in  altero) 
"because  he  sinned  through  an- 
other."*08 Not  only  is  the  purely  spir- 
itual act  of  believing  ( instead  of  the 
physical  act  of  immersion)  done  by 
proxy,  but  the  baptism  itself  is  ad- 
ministered vicariously.  How  is  it 
possible,  St.  Augustine  asks,  that 
Jesus  baptizes  and  yet  does  not  bap- 
tize?209 The  explanation  is  that  "it 
is  not  the  minister  but  Christ  him- 
self who  baptizes,"210  for 

The  authority  [potestasj  of  baptism  the 
Lord  always  keeps  to  himself,  but  the  min- 
istry of  it  he  transfer's  to  anyone,  good  or 
bad.m 

In  a  like  manner  the  vicarious  prin- 
ciple runs  through  the  whole  econ- 
omy of  the  church:  through  Christ's 
vicarious  sacrifice  every  member  is 
thought  to  have  paid  the  penalty  for 
sin  and  satisfied  the  demands  of 
justice,  while  the  Lord's  own  work 
is  carried  out  by  his  earthly  dele- 
gates. If  it  is  possible  for  the  Fa- 
ther and  Son  to  be  presently  rep- 
resented through  the  ministrations 
of  men  in  the  flesh,  is  it  outrageous 
presumption  for  men  to  stand  proxy 
for  their  own  kin  in  the  spirit  world? 
Do  not  Christian  churches  today  re- 
quire that  every  candidate  for  bap- 
tism be  "according  to  most  ancient 
usage"  accompanied  by  a  vicarious 
parent?212  All  that  men  can  do  for 
themselves  they  must  do,  the  gospel 
preaches,  but  whatever  they  cannot 
possibly  do  for  themselves  must  be 
done  for  them;  hence  the  great 
atonement. 

Can  there  be  any  serious  objec- 
tion then  to  a  vicarious  baptism 
which  makes  it  possible  to  satisfy 
all  the  demands  of  the  law,  enjoy 
the  mercy  of  God  without  qualifica- 
tion, and  retain  the  ordinance  in  its 
purity,  intact  and  unaltered?  It 
should  be  remembered  that  in  the 
very  matter  of  baptism  the  Chris- 
tian churches  will  waive  all  their 
careful  rules  in  an  emergency,  and 
allow  anyone  to  baptize  anyone  else 
at  any  time  or  place  and  in  almost 
any  manner,  lest  some  poor  soul  in 
(Concluded  on  page  214) 

213 


BAPTISM  FOR  TIIE  DEAD  IN  ANCIENT  TIMES 


(Concluded  from  page  213) 
extremis  be  eternally  damned.*1" 
Thus  the  churches  are  willing  to 
distort  the  rite  of  baptism  beyond 
recognition  for  the  laudable  purpose 
of  making  it  as  universal  as  possible; 
but  as  the  price  of  being  universal 
it  ceases  to  be  a  baptism  at  all.  And 
so  the  dilemma  remains,  with  only 
one  escape:    baptism  for  the  dead. 

Tn  summing  up  the  data  at  hand, 
we  note  three  aspects  of  the  doc- 
umentary remains:  their  adequacy, 
their  paucity,  and  their  distribution. 
The  three  support  and  explain  each 
other  and  lead  to  certain  obvious 
conclusions. 

In  the  first  place,  the  evidence  is 
more  than  sufficient  to  establish  the 
presence  and  prominence  in  the 
early  church  of  belief  in  the  salva- 
tion of  the  dead  through  ministra- 
tions that  included  preaching  and 
baptism.  The  actual  practice  of 
vicarious  baptism  for  the  dead  in 
the  ancient  church  is  equally  cer- 
tain, even  the  hostile  commentators, 
with  their  seventeen  different  inter- 
pretations, agreeing  on  that  one 
thing  alone. 

Yet  if  they  are  clear  and  specific, 
references  to  baptism  for  the  dead 
are  nonetheless  few.  How  is  that 
to  be  explained  in  view  of  the  ex- 
treme importance  of  the  subject  and 
the  obvious  popularity  of  the  doc- 
trine with  the  saints?  For  one  thing 
the  apostolic  literature  is  not  exten- 
sive; one  volume  could  easily  con- 
tain it  all.  Yet  it  is  in  these  frag- 
ments of  the  earliest  church  writings 
that  virtually  all  our  references  are 
to  be  found:  the  earlier  a  work  is, 
the  more  it  has  to  say  about  bap- 
tism for  the  dead.  After  the  third 
century  no  one  wants  to  touch  the 
subject,  all  commentators  confining 
themselves  to  repeating  the  same 
arguments  against  baptism  for  the 
dead  and  supplying  the  same  far- 
fetched and  hair-splitting  explana- 
tions of  what  Paul  really  meant. 
After  the  second  century  the  vast 
barns  of  the  Patrologia  are  virtual- 
ly empty,  and  the  fathers  who  love 
nothing  so  much  as  spinning  out 
their  long  commentaries  on  every 
syllable  of  scripture  pass  by  those 
passages  of  hope  for  the  dead  in 
peculiar  silence.  As  Lanfranc  put  it, 
how  can  one  presume  to  cope  with 
a  problem  which  has  baffled  the 
greatest  minds  of  the  church?  It 
214 


was  the  early  church  that  preached 
and  practised  work  for  the  dead, 
that  no  one  denies;814  the  later 
church,  condemning  the  work,  con- 
fesses at  the  same  time  that  she  does 
not  understand  it. 

It  has  not  been  the  purpose  of  this 
discussion  to  treat  of  baptism  for  the 
dead  as  practised  by  the  Latter-day 
Saints.  No  one  having  any  ac- 
quaintance with  that  system,  how- 
ever, can  fail  to  notice  the  essential 
identity  of  the  ancient  with  the 
modern  usage  and  doctrine.  This 
close  resemblance  poses  a  problem. 
Where  did  Joseph  Smith  get  his 
knowledge?  Few  if  any  of  the 
sources  cited  in  this  discussion  were 
available  to  him;  the  best  of  these 
have  been  discovered  only  in  recent 
years,  while  the  citations  from  the 
others  are  only  to  be  found  scat- 
tered at  wide  intervals  through 
works  so  voluminous  that  even  had 
they  been  available  to  the  Prophet 
he  would,  lacking  modern  aids, 
have  had  to  spend  a  lifetime  run- 
ning them  down.  And  even  had 
he  found  such  passages,  how  could 
they  have  meant  more  to  him  than 
they  did  to  the  most  celebrated  di- 
vines of  a  thousand  years,  who 
could  make  nothing  of  them? 

This  is  a  region  in  which  great 
theologians  are  lost  and  bemused; 
to  have  established  a  rational  and 
satisfying  doctrine  and  practice  on 
grounds  so  dubious  is  indeed  a  tre- 
mendous achievement.  Yet  we  are 
asked  to  believe  that  Joseph  Smith 
produced  out  of  a  shallow  and 
scheming  head  the  whole  great 
structure  of  work  for  the  dead  that 
for  over  a  century  has  engaged 
thousands  of  quite  sane  people  in 
an  activity  which  has  been  the  chief 
joy  of  their  lives.  To  design  such  a 
work  would  more  than  tax  the  pow- 
ers of  the  greatest  religious  leaders 
of  the  past,  but  to  have  made  it  con- 
form at  the  same  time  to  the  pat- 
terns of  the  primitive  church  (not 
brought  to  light  until  the  last  seven- 
ty years)  is  asking  far  too  much  of 
genius  and  luck.  Compared  with 
such  an  accomplishment  the  mas- 
sive and  repetitious  productions  of 
the  ecclesiastical  mind  from  St. 
Augustine  to  the  present  are  but 
the  mechanized  output  of  the 
schools,  requiring  little  more  than 
"patience  and  a  body." 

Work  for  the  dead  is  an  all-im- 
portant phase  of  Mormonism  about 


which  the  world  knows  virtually 
nothing.  Not  even  the  most  zealous 
anti-Mormon  has  even  begun  to  of- 
fer an  explanation  for  its  discovery, 
which  in  its  way  is  quite  as  remark- 
able as  the  Book  of  Mormon.  The 
critics  will  have  to  go  far  to  explain 
this  one. 


In  the  following  references  "PC"  stands  for  the 
Greek  Patrologia  and  "PL"  for  the  Latin,  Roman 
numerals  designate  volumes  and  Arabic  numerals 
columns. 

w'De  Anima.  c.  ix   (PL  xllv,  480-1 ) 

^Op.  cit..  503:    518:    520:    188-9 

lss>Op.  cit.,  HO;  120;   188-9 

™Contra   lutianum,   vi    (PL   xlv.    1596-7) 

"'Ambrose,  cited  In  PL  Iv.   (235) 

102Basilius.  Lib.  de  Spicitu  Sancto  X.  26  (PC  xxxii. 
113) 

183Greg.  Nyssen,  De  Baptismo   ( PG  xlvi,  424) 

>«Gennadius.  De  Eccl.  dogmat..  c.  74  |PL  Ivtil, 
997).  This  doctrine  precludes  any  belief  in  the  "bap- 
tism of  desire,"  a  vague  device  by  which  modern 
Catholics  attempt  to  provide  baptism  for  the  unbap- 
tized.  No  one  could  be  more  eligible  for  such  a  bap- 
tism than  the  pure  and  desirous  catechumen,  whom 
Gennadius   describes  as   lost. 

utHermae  Pastor.   Simil.    ix,    16.   6-7 

iMAugustine,  Epist.  No.  164  (PL  xxxili.  708-718). 
Augustine  finds  it  "absurd"  to  believe  that  one  who 
lacked  faith  in  life  can  "believe  on  Christ  In  hell" 
(714).  As  to  those  who  were  disobedient  in  the 
time  of  Noah  (I  Peter  3:20),  the  scripture  does  not 
say  that  they  ever  lived  in  the  flesh!  1713.)  By  such 
violent  rationalizations  A.ugustine  upholds  a  doctrine 
which  he  describes  as  "hard"    {durum). 

n^Raby,   Christian  Latin  Poetry,   p.   117 

186 'Ad  Maronis  mausoleum 
ductus  fudit  super  eum 
piae  rorem  lacrimae 
Quern  te.  dixit,  rededissem 
si  te  vivum  invenissem, 
poetarum   maximel 

lmlnferno.  Canto  iv,  7-12,  19-45.  The  poet  says 
(43-45)  that  "great  sorrow  seized  his  heart"  at  the 
sight,  for  he  knew  many  of  the  sufferers  to  be  "people 
of    great  worth." 

aoo/n/erno,  iv.  52-63 

201  De  Fide  ad  Petrum  Diaconum  c.  HI.  fol.  159 
(Cit.  PL  Iviii.   1043) 

»*Fulgentius,  De  fide  c  38  (reg.  no.  35)   (PL  lxv. 

704) 

"•"Cited  by  Elmenhorst.  in  PL  Iviii.  1043. 

^A  common  formula,  Hippolytus.  De  Antichr.,  c. 
26 

a0BProf.  Sidney  B.  Sperry  brings  to  my  attention 
the  Coptic  rendering  of  "gates  of  hell"  as  "the 
gates  of  Amente"  (Oxford  translation).  This  Is 
the  well-known  Egyptian  word  meaning  "the  West" 
and  hence  "the  realm  of  the  dead."  ( K.  Sethe,  in 
Aegupt.  Ztschr.  xlvii  (1910).  31):  it  retains  both 
meanings  also  in  Coptic  (Wilh.  Splegelbcrg.  Kop- 
tisches  tlandworterbuch  (Heidelberg.  1921),  pp.  5, 
25:  also  in  [nl,  of  Egyptian  Archaeologu  XII  (1926), 
35 ) ,  where  it  has  nothing  to  do  wilh  Satan  or  the 
devil.  It  is  a  fact  of  decisive  importance  that  the 
earliest  translators  of  the  New  Testament,  and  those 
nearest  to  the  primitive  church  in  time  and  in  knowl- 
edge, chose  this  word  instead  of  those  expressions 
(such  as  TE  or  NOUN}  which  mean  "hell"  in  the 
bad.  tyrannical  sense.  "Amente"  is  simply  the  land 
of   the  dead,   and  regularly   a   word  of   good  omen. 

"WCabrol  &  Leclercq,  Diet.  I!.  1,  381 

^Augustine,  De  Baptismo  iv.  24  (PL  xlifj,  175) 

^Augustine,  Serm.  294,  11  6  18  (PL  xxxviii,  1342. 
1346) 

"""In  PL  xxxv.  1511 

■"Won  minister  sed  ipse  Christus  qui  baptizat,  PL 
xxxlii.  311 

^'Augustine,  in  PL  xxxv.  1419,  1428,  1437:  xliii. 
368-9.   371-2 

tuCodex  Juris  Canonici  (1918).  Can,  793 

*Hd,  Can.  742.  746,  747,  758.  762;  these  rules 
allow  for  two  types  of  baptism,  which  differ  widely 
in  their  manner  of  being  carried  out. 

•^As  an  example  which  we  failed  to  include  In  the 
preceding  article,  a  belated  citation  from  the  ninth 
century  Bishop  Aimon  ( Haymon )  of  Halberstadt.  may 
be  allowed  at  this  point.  Speaking  of  the  primitive 
church  he  says:  "If  one  of  their  loved  ones  (friend 
or  relative:  propinquus)  happened  to  depart  this  life 
without  the  grace  of  baptism,  some  living  person 
would  be  baptized  in  his  name:  and  they  believed 
that  the  baptism  of  the  living  would  profit  the  dead." 
The  Bishop  must  deny,  of  course,  that  Paul  approved 
the  practice,  and  has  the  usual  difficulty  explaining 
why  the  Apostle  chose  an  improper  practice  to  il- 
lustrate and  support  {ut  suadeat  et  ostendat)  his 
doctrine.  (Expositio  in  Ep.  I  Ad  Cor..  PL  cxvii, 
598.) 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


S^att  c^Lahe     Ua 


BRANCH  for  m  DEAF 


Whoever  it  was  that  said,  "Ev- 
erything comes  to  him  who 
waits,"  certainly  hit  the  nail 
squarely  on  the  head;  at  least  for  a 
certain  group  of  people.  The  deaf 
of  Salt  Lake  Valley  can  breathe 
with  a  sigh  of  relief  after  twenty- 
eight  long  years  without  a  perma- 
nent "home."  Thanks  to  President 
George  Albert  Smith  and  his  coun- 
selors;    to   Dr.   John   A.   Widtsoe, 


seed,  which  required  many  hours  of 
toil.  Elder  and  Sister  Barlow  were 
always  on  hand  directing  the  work 
as  well  as  laboring,  thereby  sac- 
rificing time  that  would  otherwise 
have  been  used  at  their  own  home. 
Among  the  deaf  seen  most  frequent- 
ly at  the  site  of  the  building,  donat- 
ing time  and  labor,  seems  to  have 
been  sixty-eight-year-old  Joseph 
Cameron,  Jr.   In  the  women's  group, 


&  (Ldwin  f\oM  UhursL 


fP&JP 


on 


for  conferences,  seating  nearly  four 
hundred  persons  for  a  single  meet- 
ing; a  Relief  Society  room,  kitchen, 
three  classrooms,  and  an  office,  as 
well  as  other  facilities.  Included  are 
fluorescent  lighting  throughout,  a 
stage  in  the  recreation  hall,  large 
blackboards,  and  signal  lights  in 
place  of  bells  to  indicate  end  of 
class  periods. 

(~\N  Sunday  morning,  October  10, 
1948,  the  deaf  were  delighted  by 
a  visit  to  their  services  of  Dr.  John 
A.  Widtsoe,  who  announced  that 
the  chapel  was  ready  for  use,  and 
although  not  yet  fully  organized, 
it  could  be  used  for  Sunday  School 


At  left:    the  new  chapel. 

Below:  members  of  the  foreign  language 
committee  who  were  present  at  the  organizing 
of  the  branch  presidency,  on  November  14,  1948. 

from  left  to  right:  Arnt  Cngh,  Hugo  Peterson, 
Dr.  John  A.  Widtsoe,  Thomas  Clarke,  E.  Ross 
Thurston,  Lloyd  O.  Ivie,  Holger  M.  Larsen,  Wil- 
lard  f.  Barlow,  Max  W.  Woodbury  (President  of 
the  Ogden  Branch  for  the  Deaf),  L.  Elgin  Jacob- 
son,  and  Frank  I.  Kooyman. 


chairman  of  the  foreign  language 
committee  of  the  Church;  and  to 
members  of  Dr.  Widtsoe's  commit- 
tee; to  Willard  E,  Barlow;  and  to 
others,  who  have  in  any  way  con- 
tributed to  this  effort  in  securing  the 
new  building,  the  deaf  now  have 
their  own  beautiful,  three-unit  struc- 
ture at  the  corner  of  Fifth  South  and 
Eighth  East  streets. 

Ground  was  broken  on  August 
20,  1947,  by  Bishop  Thorpe  B. 
Isaacson,  representing  the  Presiding 
Authorities,  in  the  presence  of  a 
large  and  enthusiastic  gathering  of 
local  deaf  people  and  their  friends. 
During  the  process  of  building  many 
of  the  deaf  of  the  valley  donated 
what  labor  they  could  in  the  clearing 
of  trees  and  weeds,  and  also  did 
such  things  as  nailing  down  the  sub- 
flooring,  taking  down  the  forms 
after  the  cement  foundations  were 
set,  and  leveling  of  the  grounds. 
When  the  building  was  nearly  com- 
pleted, they  also,  with  the  help  of 
local  deaf  ladies,  cleaned  up  wher- 
ever possible,  prepared  the  grounds 
for   planting    of   shrubs   and   lawn 

APRIL  1949 


Sister    Kate   O.    Keeley   did   more 
than  her  share  of  the  work. 

Many  facilities  are  found  in  this 
three-unit  building,  among  which 
are  the  chapel,  capable  of  seating 
one  hundred  ten  persons;  the  recrea- 
tion hall,  which  with  its  movable 
partition,  can  be  used,  if  necessary, 


—Photos,  courtesy  Rodney  W.  Walker 

services  the  following  Sunday,  Oc- 
tober 17.  Imagine  the  joy  which 
filled  everyone. 

Sunday,   November   14,  the  Salt 
Lake  Valley  Branch  for  the  Deaf, 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter- 
day  Saints,  was  officially  organized 
{Continued  on  page  244) 
215 


fiV 


^Jrood,    *~Ml 


iviaep, 


AND 


THE  CHURCH  AND  MODERN  SOCIETY 

Part  IV 


of  the  Department 
of  Anthropology, 
the  American  Mu- 

/-   *  |v  seum    of    Natural 

History,  puts  the 
population  prob- 
lem forward  in  an 

'-  -.;-. ■.■:■•  interesting  way  by 

pointing  out  that  if 

^k^*-*/..-  *  *■'-?:'  /'':&£;>■'.;    a  husband  and  wife 

-"*'-•  ">»*•".  ■■    '%*      have  six  children, 
*<$3*?W8e;     " /  "^^^^^^UlSB^'  M    and    each    pair   of 

children    were    to 

— Photograph  bg  Eva  Luoma  <•  .  t   .-. 

1  produce    six    chil- 

Dr.  Fairfield  Osborn  is  president  dren  and  so  on,  after  nineteen  gen- 

of    the    New    York   Zoological  erations  their  posterity  could  num- 

Society    and     author    of    Our  ber  more  than  the  present  population 

Plundered  Planet.  At  the  centenary  of  the  world — 2,324,522,934!    The 

meeting    ( 1 948 )    of   the   American  following  table,  based  on  Shapiro, 

Association  for  the  Advancement  of  compares  1940  population  with  that 

Science    leading     participants     de-  of  1650,  about  the  year  that  Joseph 

clared  that  the  earth  was  inadequate  Smith's  ancestor,  Robert  Smith,  left 

to  support  human  population  at  its  England  for  the  New  World, 
present  rate  of  increase.    Dr.  Os- 
born, speaking  on  the  topic,  "What  1650  1940 

Hope  for  Man?"  posed  this  situa-  Cwrfineirf  (millions)        (millions) 

tion:    In  the  last  three  centuries  hu-  Asia  25°  \,\94 

man   beings   have   multiplied   from  gX^SZ      Zr  3? 

about  four  hundred  million  to  over  Africa  100  156 

two  billion;    this  figure  will  double  South  America  ....         6.4  92 

in  another  seventy  years;    it  takes  Australasia  2  11 

214  acres  to  feed  one  person  ade-  _  "     '  ~~ 

quately;    many  countries  have  less  iotas 

than  an  acre  of  productive  land  per 

capita.  Population  study  began  to  be  a 
About  the   same   time,    William  scientific    possibility    after    the 

Vogt,  chief  of  the  conservation  sec-  establishment  of  the  Constitution  of 

tion   of   the   Pan-American    Union  the  United  States  which  requires  a 

published  his  view  of  the  situation  decennial    census    in    the    United 

in  Road  to  Survival  (Sloane,  N,Y.:  States,  the  first  count  occurring  in 

1948).  His  interpretation  is  approx-  1790.    In  1801,  England  began  an 

imately  the  same  as  Osborn's,  official  census  and  since  that  time 

,       .      „  vl  ,,   A       .  many  of  the  modern  nations  have 

.  .  .  that,  in  all  the  world,  there  is  not       .    ,     J  _  ,        .        . 

enough  available  untiled  land  to  fill  the  taken  censuses.  It  was  shortly  after 

net  increase  of  50,000  stomachs  which  are  the     first      American     census     that 

now  being  added  to  the  world  population  Robert  Malthus,  the  English  clergy- 

every  day.  man,  wrote  his  Essay  on  Popular 

Vogt  goes  further  with  the  frighten-  tion>    substantially    suggesting    the 

ing  thought  that  instead  of  agricul-  problems  now  being  elaborated  and 

tore  helping  the  situation,  paradoxi-  popularized  by  Osborn,  Vogt,  and 

cally,  it  depletes  the  soil  and  lays  others. 

the  basis  for  ruin    (as  now  prac-  Between  birth  and  death  is  life, 

tised).  Life  at  its  basic  level  is  subsistence. 

Dr.  Harry  L.  Shapiro,  chairman  Subsistence  requires  air,  food,  drink, 
216 


and  rest  as  the  basic  biological 
necessities  for  activity.  Air  ( despite 
the  modern  threat  of  atomic  con- 
tamination) exists  in  abundance. 
Water,  in  the  total  sense  of  ade- 
quate global  supply,  is  not  a  severe 
problem.  Food,  however,  has  al- 
ways been  a  problem.  According  to 
the  uniform  finding  and  opinion  of 
scholarship  there  has  never  been 
enough  food  produced  in  the  world 
to  fill  properly  the  stomachs  of 
mankind.  Urbanization  and  mech- 
anization have  invaded  mankind's 
need  for  rest,  but  this  problem  is  of 
a  different  order  than  the  problem 
of  food. 

What  happens  between  birth  and 
death  to  influence  population?  Why 
weren't  there  2,324,522,934  human 
beings  nineteen  generations  after 
Adam  and  Eve?  Dr.  Shapiro  notes 
two  broad  influences  on  the  birth 
rate.  These  elements  affect  the 
broader  issue  of  conservation,  agri- 
culture, and  food  supply  in  that 
they  represent  influences  on  the 
number  of  human  beings  who  de- 
nude forests,  pollute  streams,  con- 
sume corn  pone,  and  treat  the  earth, 
not  as  a  precious  gift,  but  as  if  it 
would  last  forever.  Under  the  head- 
ing of  social  influences  on  birth  rate, 
Shapiro  lists  sexual  taboos,  long  in- 
fant-nursing periods,  abortion,  in- 
fanticide, delayed  marriage,  con- 
cubinage, prostitution,  social  dis- 
ease, urbanization,  and  contracep- 
tion. All  these  factors  operate  as 
brakes  on  population  growth  ac- 
cording to  this  authority.  Not- 
withstanding these  ancient  social 
"brakes,"  population  has  forged 
ahead  tremendously  in  the  age  of 
science,  hygiene,  and  industrializa- 
tion. A  second  type  of  influence 
on  the  birth  rate  Shapiro  notes  as 
"catastrophic."  Examples  are  fam- 
ine and  war.  Yet  these  catastroph- 
ic influences  do  not  halt  the  upward 
curve  of  population  in  modern 
times:  after  the  year  of  famine, 
the  birth  rate  increases  and  during 
war  it  accelerates  tremendously.      • 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


PEOPLE 


•i 


JUy  Lf.  J4omer>  <Jjurkam}  f^k.^JJ. 

HEAD  OF  POLITICAL  SCIENCE  DEPARTMENT,  UNIVERSITY  OF  UTAH 


Ts  it  true  that  there  are  600,000,000 
too  many  people  in  the  world  to- 
day? That  poverty  and  hunger,  in- 
stead of  being  eliminated,  are  fore- 
doomed to  a  large  role  in  the  future 
because  of  population  pressure?  We 
are  told  in  modern  revelation  that 
the  earth  is  the  Lord's  and  the  ful- 
ness thereof.  The  ancient  command 
in  Eden  was  to  "multiply  and  re- 
plenish the  earth"  and  subdue  it. 
What  of  teeming  mankind  in  the 
twentieth  century,  with  a  predicted 
doubling  of  world  population  with- 
in seventy  years? 

For  the  first  time  in  human  his- 
tory on  this  globe,  as  this  problem 
becomes  acute,  intelligent  mankind 
are  approaching  a  situation  where 
the  condition  of  all  our  Father's 
children  can  be  viewed  and  under- 
stood factually.  This  situation  is 
still  future.  But  thanks  to  the  fore- 
sight of  the  framers  of  the  Ameri- 
can Constitution  in  requiring  an  ac- 
curate, scientific  census,  and  similar 
developments  in  many  fields  in  the 
nineteenth  century,  we  of  the  twen- 
tieth may  be  able  to  surmount  the 
difficulties  posed  by  Malthus.  For 
this  we  are  also  indebted  to  the 
scientific  work  performed  by  the 
League  of  Nations,  1919-1939,  and 
now  the  United  Nations. 

"There  has  never  been  enough 
food  in  the  world."  With  this  state- 
ment begins  a  recent  publication  of 
the  FAO — the  Food  and  Agricul- 
tural Organization  of  the  United 
Nations.  Established  towards  the 
end  of  World  War  II  (Dr.  Frank- 
lin S.  Harris,  president  of  Utah 
State  Agricultural  College,  was  a 
delegate  to  the  organizational  meet- 
ings and  has  since  been  active  in  its 
affairs ) ,  the  FAO  is  an  international 
fact-finding  society  headed  by  Sir 
John  Boyd  Orr  as  director-general. 
Following  are  some  of  the  facts  pro- 
duced by  FAO  which  constitute  a 
basis  for  solving  the  problem  of 
food,  population,  and  hunger. 

Before  the  recent  war  half  of 
mankind  were  consuming  daily  less 
than  2,250  calories  and  consequent- 
ly suffering  from  malnutrition  and 
deficiency  diseases.  The  inhabitants 
of  the  United  Kingdom  under 
"austerity  rations"  have  had  2,750 
or  more.  But  the  plight  of  the  under- 

APRIL1949  .,■    -f 


nourished  billion  of  our  brethren 
and  sisters  is  worse  than  even  this 
comparison.  Most  of  their  prewar 
diet  came  from  starchy  cereals,  with 
hardly  any  animal  products  such  as 
milk,  cheese,  eggs,  or  meat;  and  rel- 
atively few  fruits  and  vegetables. 
So,  declares  FAO,  what  mankind 
needs  is  not  only  more  food  but 
better  food,  containing  the  neces- 
sary vitamins  and  minerals. 

It  is  obvious  that  if  production  goals  be 
based  on  full  physiological  requirements, 
the  world  production  of  these  more  ex- 
pensive foods  wilt  need  to  be  increased  by 
more  than  one  hundred  percent. 

A  ccording  to  a  world  food  survey 

taken  by  FAO,  covering  seventy 

countries   (about  ninety  percent  of 

mankind ) ,    the    worst    undernour- 


ished countries,  both  in  quantity 
and  quality,  are  India,  Java,  the 
Philippine  Islands,  Korea,  Iran, 
Iraq,  Trans-Jordan,  Mexico,  El 
Salvador,  Costa  Rica,  and  Colom- 
bia, with  2,000  calories  or  less  a 
day.  A  number  of  basic  "nutrition- 
al targets"  have  been  established 
by  FAO  as  a  consequence  of  this 
study. 

Nutritional  Targets  of  the  Food  and 

Agricultural  Organization  of 

the  United  Nations 

(a)  Raise  the  minimum  available  food 
intake  in  all  countries  to  2,550-2,600  cal- 
ories daily. 

(b)  Produce  cereals  adequate  for  1,200- 
1,800  calories,  to  be  carefully  balanced 
however  against  starchy  foods, .  fruits,  sug- 
ars. '  ': 

{Continued  on  page  247) 

is-    —Photograph  by  Religious  News  Service 


The  Fort  on  the 


First  schoothouse  and  chapel  in  Bluff,  Utah,  erected  in  1880; 
torn  away  in  1894,  and  early  settlers.  Lett  to  right:  Kumen  Jones, 
Platte  D.  Lyman,  Jense  Nielsen,  James  B.  Decker,  and  F.  A. 
Hammond. 


Firing  Line    ^Jtuie.jf 


man 


SYNOPSIS 

Tn  the  year  1851,  President  Brigham 
*  Young  sent  colonies  to  extend  the 
Mormon  territory  to  the  south.  Those  who 
went  had  to  fight  four  adversaries:  the 
Utes,  the  Navajos,  the  renegade  whites, 
and  nature,  which  seemed  at  times  the 
greatest  adversary  of  all.  No  treaty  with 
the  United  States  could  guarantee  the  set' 
tiers  from  the  depredations  of  the  Navajos. 
Even  Kit  Carson  who  displaced  the  Indians 
had  found  it  impossible  to  quell  them.  Jacob 
Hamblin  and  Thales  Haskell  genuinely 
loved  the  Indians,  and  time  after  time  won 
them  to  a  reluctant  peace,  only  to  have  it 
broken  again  because  of  the  actions  of  the 
renegade  whites.  But  at  last  the  Mormons 
had  begun  their  settlement,  in  the  face  of 
Indian   attacks  and  nature. 


VII 

No  trees  shaded  Bluff  in  1880. 
The  sun  beat  down  on  the 
white  sand  with  terrific  force, 
dazzling  the  eyes  of  all  who  looked 
from  their  improvised  shelters,  and 
the  winds  came  loaded  with  clouds 
of  dust  and  sand  from  the  dry  des- 
ert of  the  reservation.  It  buried 
things  up  as  in  snowdrifts.  Food 
was  always  gritty. 

The  settlers  had  started  from 
southwestern  Utah  with  foundation 
stock  for  herds  of  cattle,  and  they 
had  brought  with  them  as  many 
good  horses  as  they  could  afford.  It 
was  but  a  remnant  of  this  founda- 
tion stock  that  had  survived  the  hard 
winter  in  the  rocks,  and  these  few 
were  indispensable  to  the  life  and 
growth  of  the  colony.  Yet  all  these 
animals,  even  the  work  teams  and 
the  milk  cows  had  to  hunt  for  for- 
age away  among  the  unprotected 
hills,  and  the  range  cattle  had  to  be 
218 


driven  to  very  distant  places,  some 
of  them  beyond  Clay  Hill. 

O  what  a  bonanza  for  these  avari- 
cious tribes  who  had  been  devouring 
each  other  on  this  borderland  for 
generations!  Horses  to  ride!  Cattle 
to  butcher!  And  the  owners  of  these 
animals  too  few  in  numbers  to  dare 
anything  but  plead  and  preach  — 
nothing  like  it  ever  before  around 
this  desolated  crossing! 

Platte  D.  Lyman  wrote  in  his 
diary,  "We  are  about  to  be  cruci- 
fied  between   two   thieves." 

With  dark  prospects  of  being  left 
afoot,  they  spared  one  of  their  num- 
ber to  guard  the  horses  twenty-four 
hours  a  day,  but  no  thief  appeared 
while  the  guard  was  watching.  The 
hills  took  on  an  innocent  expression, 
for  the  prowlers,  peeping  from 
gulches  or  summits,  knew  that  the 
best  way  to  beat  this  game  was  to 
keep  out  of  sight. 

That  ditch  in  the  sand,  and  the 
new  fields  with  their  uncertain  old 
bullfences  to  protect  them  from 
starving  stock  called  loudly  for  the 
strength  and  attention  of  every  able 
man,  and  they  left  the  horses  for  a 
little  while  and  then  for  a  longer 
while,  telling  themselves  they  would 
be  safe  for  a  day — two  days.  Their 
horses  were  never  safe  for  an  hour, 
night  or  day,  even  though  the  ditch 
was  empty  and  the  fields  burning 
up. 

Navajo  Frank,  robust  and  self- 
sufficient  as  a  well-fed  boar,  took  up 
his  abode  near  Bluff  and  set  out  to 
monopolize  opportunity  as  it  was 
opened    to    him    by    these    strange 


Mormons.  If  a  horse  were  left  un- 
guarded, he  got  it.  If  a  milk  cow 
wandered  far  into  the  willows,  she 
became  his  beef. 

T-Towever,  there  was  a  brighter 
side  to  this  picture,  and  some 
people  saw  in  it  a  promise  of  better 
things  in  the  future.  Kumen  Jones, 
one  of  the  leading  men,  went  among 
the  Navajos  to  curry  their  favor  and 
learn  their  language,  and  in  his  early 
contact  with  them  he  met  Jim  Joe,  a 
man  about  his  own  age,  twenty-two 
years,  and  they  loved  each  other 
from  the  first.  Changing  scenes  and 
vexatious  conditions  failed  to 
estrange  them.  Like  David  and 
Jonathan  they  embraced  when  they 
met.  Jim's  people  had  been  trained 
from  birth  to  steal,  and  the  passion 
of  thieving  ran  in  their  blood,  but 
Jim  Joe  scorned  to  take  anything  not 
his  own,  or  to  tell  what  was  not  true. 
The  splendid  love-tie  between  these 
two  men  constituted  the  beginning 
of  an  important  link  which  was  to 
develop  between  their  white  and  red 
brethren. 

By  happy  little  incidents  and  by 
slow  degrees  it  dawned  on  the  toil- 
ers in  Bluff  that  these  Navajo  peo- 
ple were  not  so  bad  as  they  had 
seemed  to  be.  Among  those  who 
came  to  inspect  this  strange  project 
on  the  San  Juan  Crossing,  there  ap- 
peared at  intervals  some  very  won- 
derful men  and  women  who,  with- 
out seeming  to  do  so,  pleaded  the 
cause  of  their  kinsmen  and  revealed 
a  delightfully  human  and  lovable 
side  to  the  Navajo  nature. 

Corpulent      old      Pee-jon-kaley, 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


pleasant  in  form  and  face,  came  al- 
ways with  a  smile  or  a  refreshing 
joke.  Even  the  children  liked  to  see 
him.  Pishleki,  another  pleasant  and 
portly  personality,  made  valuable 
contributions  to  the  cause  of  good 
will  by  his  cheerful  words  and  fine 
sense  of  humor. 

An  old  brave  and  his  grown 
daughter  came  quietly  through  the 
doorway  one  day,  and  stood  listen- 
ing in  silence  to  soft  music  from  an 
adjoining  room.  Suddenly  the  young 
woman  dropped  into  a  chair  by  a 
table,  and,  bending  over  with  her 
head  on  her  wrists,  she  cried  and 
sobbed  like  a  broken-hearted  child. 
The  old  man  stood  regarding  her 
tenderly,  and  when  asked  why  she 
cried,  he  explained  that  she  had  re- 
cently lost  a  little  boy,  and  she  could 
hear  him  calling  in  the  music. 

An  old  Navajo  mother  came  into 
a  Bluff  home  where  a  weakly  skel- 
eton of  a  baby  was  fighting  for  its 
life  with  some  problem  of  malnutri- 
tion. The  Navajo  woman  bent  ten- 
derly over  the  child,  breathing  the 
love  and  solicitude  which  only  a 
true  mother  can  know.  Next  day 
she  came  from  her  distant  hogan 
with  a  little  bucket  of  goat's  milk  to 
nourish  the  starving  child.  She  con- 
tinued to  come  from  day  to  day 
with  the  bucket  till  the  pinched  little 
bones  began  to  be  hidden  with 
healthy  flesh. 

pROM  these  unpremeditated  pleas 
from  the  Navajos  for  good  will, 
a  sense  of  appreciation  and  sym- 
pathy like  an  awakening  kinship 
began  to  grow  like  a  little  flower  in 
a  choking  tangle  of  ugly  weeds. 

Yet  the  steady  disappearance  of 
horses  and  cattle  was  unbearable. 
The  people  viewed  it  with  dismay 


It  would  have  to  be  checked  or  they 
could  not  survive.  They  had  no  de- 
fense but  the  charm  of  entreaty  as  it 
was  supposed  to  be  employed  in  the 
new  warfare,  and  it  was  strangely 
difficult  to  employ.  At  all  events, 
they  had  not  learned  how  to  make 
it  protect  their  livestock  wandering 
unguarded  on  the  range. 

With  their  wives  and  their  chil- 
dren they  had  staked  their  fortunes 
and  their  lives  on  this  unprecedented 
venture  for  the  protection  of  the 
older  settlements,  and  they  hung 
suspended  on  their  hopes  of  the 
Providence  which  had  been  prom- 
ised as  their  deliverer.  How  long 
could  it  still  be  delayed  before  they 
would  starve?  Navajo  Frank  and 
his  pack  of  greedy  rivals  gnawed  at 
them  every  day  like  coyotes  on  a 
carcass,  and  the  Piutes  in  general 
gobbled  them  up  slick  and  clean 
with  every  opportunity. 

Years  of  hair-raising  experiences 
in  this  ancient  trouble  zone  were  to 
prove  that  these  Piutes  had  been  the 
melting-pot  for  Indian  outlaws  from 
all  directions.  They  had  discovered 
it  as  a  criminal's  paradise  long  be- 
fore it  was  recognized  as  such  by 
white  men. 

It  is  well  the  hopeful  toilers  on 
the  ditches  and  fences  and  non- 
descript log  houses  did  not  see  at 
first  this  inevitable  phase  of  their 
monstrous  task.  Its  fortunes  good 
and  bad  were  now  all  obscured  in 
mists  of  uncertainty,  and  like  a  lamb 
between  two  snarling  packs  it  won- 
dered how  long  it  was  to  survive. 

The  Saints  appealed  to  the 
Church  leaders  who  had  called 
them,  and  wanted  to  know  whether, 
in  the  midst  of  all  these  things,  they 
would  still  be  expected  to  stay.  If 
they  were  to  stay,  how  were  they 


to  do  it?  In  answer  to  their  petition, 
Erastus  Snow,  Brigham  Young,  Jr., 
and  Francis  M.  Lyman,  came  all  the 
long,  long  way  from  Salt  Lake  City 
to  review  the  situation  and  to  give 
advice. 

They  reminded  the  people  that  in 
the  undisciplined  hearts  of  these 
two  native  tribes  rankled  a  savage 
something  which  had  menaced  the 
peace  of  Utah  for  thirty  years.  The 
colony  had  been  planted  in  this  im- 
portant position  to  transform  them 
by  the  magic  of  kindness.  It  was 
intended,  and  the  intention  had  car- 
ried thus  far,  that  there  were  to  be 
no  more  Indian  scares  among  the  old 
settlements. 

It  would  have  been  poor  consola- 
tion to  the  people  of  Bluff  to  have 
it  pointed  out  that  no  more  Indian 
troubles  in  the  rest  of  Utah,  would 
almost  certainly  mean  that  the  quell- 
ing of  the  inevitable  passion  for  war 
would  be  at  the  cost  of  troublesome 
times  and  frequent  bloodshed  in  San 
Juan  with  its  solitary  town  a  hun- 
dred miles  from  all  other  white  men. 
Nothing  but  the  kind  of  magic  which 
saved  Jacob  Hamblin  from  the 
flames  could  save  them  from  de- 
struction. 

*"Po  Erastus  Snow  and  his  com- 
panions the  people  poured  out 
the  story  of  their  hardships:  rob- 
bers, white  and  red,  stripping  them 
of  their  property  till  they  hardly 
had  a  horse  to  ride  or  a  cow  to  milk. 
Like  great  kind  fathers  the  three 
leaders  listened  to  them  as  they 
would  to  the  children  they  loved, 
reminding  them  that  a  great  trust 
had  been  reposed  in  them,  and  much 
depended  on  the  success  of  the  mis- 
sion they  had  been  called  to  fill. 

(Continued  on  page  220) 


An  early  scene  of  Bluff,  Utah 


(Continued  from  page  219) 
"You  are  far  from  the  more  pop- 
ulous and  more  prosperous  towns  of 
the  territory,"  they  said,  "and  in 
your  obscurity  you  may  feel  that 
you  are  forgotten  by  all  the  out- 
side world.  You  may  therefore  con- 
clude that  your  work  is  of  no  im- 
portance. But  as  the  main  fort  on 
the  front  of  the  firing  line,  you  are 
acting  as  sentinel  for  the  rest  of 
Utah.  It  is  imperative  that  you  stay 
and  carry  on.  You  are  here  to  end 
the  costly  troubles  which  have  been 
breaking  out  for  a  long  time,  and  to 
forestall  greater  troubles  which,  but 
for  you,  will  break  out  in  the  fu- 
ture." 

The  people  believed  and  accepted 
what  they  said.  Their  strongest  in- 
tuitions assured  them  that  merit 
could  not  fail  in  due  time  to  come 
into  its  own. 

"If  you  are  true  men,"  declared 
Erastus  Snow,"  and  if  you  do  your 
part  to  uphold  this  mission,  the  In- 
dians who  are  unfriendly  to  you 
will  waste  away." 

The  people  believed  it.  Yet  when 
the  three  leaders  had  gone  and  the 
inspiration  of  their  personalities 
could  no  longer  be  felt,  when  the 
people  went  from  the  meeting  in  the 
old  bowery  to  find  the  prowlers  still 
among  their  cattle,  they  wondered 
how  this  "wasting  away"  would  be 
accomplished,  and  how  soon  it 
would  begin.  If  it  didn't  start 
promptly  and  with  a  vengeance,  it 
might  as  well  never  start  at  all. 

The  three  leaders  had  directed 
the  people  to  build  a  meetinghouse, 
to  stay  together,  and  to  make  their 
homes  in  the  form  of  a  fort.  The 
leaders  had  directed  the  people  not 
to  defy  Providence  by  making 
places  of  residence  remote  from  the 
little  community;  to  be  wise  and 
patient  in  their  afflictions  and  in  all 
their  dealings  with  the  Indians;  to 
refrain  always  from  flying  into  a 
passion  and  doing  some  unwise 
thing;  and  to  cherish  every  sugges- 
tion of  friendship  and  love  which 
should  spring  from  their  more 
pleasant  associations. 

They  built  their  houses  joining  in 
a  hollow  square  covering  about 
three  acres,  with  all  the  doors  and 
windows  on  the  inside,  peepholes  or 
portholes  in  the  backs  of  the  houses 
to  look  from  the  fort  in  every  direc- 
tion. Four  heavy  gates  wide  enough 
220 


THE  FORT  ON  THE  FIRING  LINE 

to  admit  a  wagon  opened  into  each 
corner  of  the  fort,  and  the  log  meet- 
inghouse stood  in  the  north  center 
looking  south. 


Tt  was  in  that  square  with  doors 
and  windows  on  every  side  that 
the  writer  of  this  story  first  be- 
came aware  that  he  was  a  living  be- 
ing in  a  most  wonderful  world  with 
other  living  beings.  The  memory 
picture  of  that  old  fort  is  still  vivid 
in  his  mind  with  the  log  walls,  the 
dirt  roofs  and  the  quaint  old- 
fashioned  windows  and  doors  all 
facing  the  big  log  meetinghouse  as 
if  in  the  attitude  of  worship. 

When  Silas  S.  Smith,  returning 
from  petitioning  the  Territorial  Leg- 
islature, caught  up  with  his  company 
settled  at  Bluff,  he  brought  with 
him  an  authorization  and  appoint- 
ment for  the  organization  of  a  coun- 
ty to  be  named  from  the  river,  San 
Juan.  But  the  order  to  organize, 
maintain,  and  finance  any  kind  of 
civil  government  with  laws  and 
standards  in  this  rendezvous  of 
thieves  and  murderers  was  about  as 
easy  to  give  and  as  difficult  to  exe- 
cute as  the  fabled  order  of  the  rats 
to  bell  the  cat. 

All  the  same,  the  invincible  spirit 
which  had  dared  to  ride  on  a  rickety 
old  wagon  and  yell  orders  to  a  four- 
head-team  of  clumsy  oxen  while 
they  dragged  that  wagon  along  a 
perilous  trail  over  a  "slantindiclar" 
surface,  was  not  going  to  turn  pale 
and  surrender  at  the  thought  of 
hoisting  the  banner  of  law  in  a  den 
of  thieves.  They  organized  a  coun- 
ty with  Bluff  as  its  county  seat,  the 
home  of  every  one  of  its  officials, 
and  practically  the  only  permanent 
community  within  its  wide  border. 
This,  however,  is  not  forgetting  that 
Montezuma,  fifteen  miles  up  the 
river,  still  had  half  a  dozen  families 
and  hopes  of  carrying  on. 

And  now,  with  the  little  new  or- 
ganization hatched  out  in  the  doubt- 
ful shelter  of  the  log  fort,  must  they 
keep  it  hidden  away  there,  and  its 
existence  a  kind  of  secret  lest  the 
bullies  and  gunmen  ride  over  it 
roughshod  and  rush  it  before  it 
could  get  feathered  out  and  develop 
its  fighting  spurs?  To  announce 
itself  openly  would  be  to  flaunt  the 
red  rag  in  the  bull's  face,  a  challenge 
to  the  rule  of  anarchy  where  it  had 
boasted  of  being  supreme. 


And  where  would  it  get  revenue 
to  power  its  projects,  enforce  its  or- 
ders, and  build  up  the  country?  The 
big  cattle  kings  that  had  come  into 
the  county  from  Colorado  and  lo- 
cated at  La  Sal  and  Blue  Mountain, 
the  formidable  outfits  with  their 
gangs  of  terrible  gunmen,  had  yelled 
their  exultant  farewell  to  taxation 
when  they  crossed  the  line,  and  they 
had  surrounded  themselves  with 
fighting  elements  calculated  to 
frighten  any  assessor  from  ventur- 
ing into  camp. 

The  new  county  appointed  Lem- 
uel H.  Redd,  Jr.,  assessor  and  col- 
lector, who  taking  with  him  Kumen 
Jones,  went  to  the  cattle  barons 
to  assess  their  livestock.  They  told 
him  with  a  confidential  sneer  that  no 
taxes  would  be  paid. 

"I'm  going  to  assess  every  horse 
and  cow  in  your  outfit,"  Lem  Redd 
declared,  aggressively,  "and  when 
the  time  comes,  I'm  going  to  collect 
every  cent  of  it." 

He  felt  in  his  hands  the  splendid 
power  of  the  big  cause  he  repre- 
sented, and  when  the  time  came,  he 
collected  in  full.  That  was  victory 
number  one  on  the  new  firing  line, 
but  the  enemy  had  been  taken  un- 
aware, and  would  fortify  more  care- 
fully for  the  future. 

"Desides  the  political  organization 
which  had  been  made  for  San 
Juan  County,  the  visiting  brethren 
from  Salt  Lake  City  had  organized 
San  Juan  Stake,  with  Platte  D. 
Lyman  as  president. 

Thales  Haskell,  loved  and  trusted 
for  his  courage,  his  wisdom,  and  his 
unfaltering  fidelity  as  an  aid  to 
Jacob  Hamblin,  was  called  by  the 
Church  to  be  interpreter,  diplomat, 
and  mediator  between  the  people  of 
the  fort  and  the  native  tribes.  Has- 
kell was  the  soul  of  loyalty.  He  re- 
garded his  life  and  his  ability  as  a 
trust  reposed  in  him  for  the  good  of 
the  needy  wherever  he  could  help 
them.  He  feared  God  too  much  to 
deal  with  any  degree  of  unfairness, 
but  if  ever  he  feared  the  face  of 
any  man  who  walked  the  earth,  no- 
body found  it  out. 

With  solemn  words  of  firmness 
and  love  he  went  to  Navajo  Frank 
and  other  chronic  thieves,  his  gray 
hair  and  white  beard  in  fitting  ac- 
cord with  the  dignity  of  his  mes- 
sage. 

(Continued  on  page  240) 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


FROM    TEMRLE 


\Jn  ^jracin 


% 


cLita  a5  Jrt  Jr6 


Cometimes  in  looking  at  the  lives 
of  others  we  may  suppose  that 
there  are  those  who  lead  an  un- 
troubled existence — free  from  the 
heartaches,  from  the  reverses,  free 
from  the  causes  for  worry  and  anx- 
iety that  beset  the  rest  of  us.  The 
less  we  know  about  others,  the  more 
likely  we  are  to  make  this  error.  We 
can't  tell  on  casual  acquaintance 
what  another  man  may  be  carrying 
around  in  his  heart,  but  we  can 
know  with  almost  infallible  certainty 
that,  whoever  he  is  and  whatever  he 
is,  life  has  dealt  with  him — or  will 
before  he  is  through  with  it.  We 
decide  in  the  glorious  and  optimistic 
promise  of  our  youth  what  we  would 
like  life  to  give  us.  We  dream  our 
dreams;  we  make  our  plans;  we 
write  our  own  specifications.  We 
decide  what  we  would  like  to  be, 
what  we  would  like  to  do,  where  we 
would  like  to  live,  what  we  would 
like  for  our  children,  how  we  would 
like  the  days  and  the  years  to  un- 
fold— and  then,  the  unforeseen,  the 
unplanned  intervenes:  sometimes 
misfortune,  sometimes  opportunity, 
but  almost  certainly  something  dif- 
ferent from  what  we  had  planned. 
Few  men  become  precisely  what 
they  expected  to  become.  They  may 
become  something  greater  or  some- 
thing smaller  but  almost  certainly 
something  different.  Life  shapes  us 
as  we  shape  life  and  when  some  of 
the  things  we  had  our  hearts  set 
upon  do  not  unfold  for  us,  some- 
times we  go  to  the  extreme  of  rail- 
ing against  the  irrevocable.  Some- 
times we  waste  our  days  in  wishing 
that  something  which  has  happened 
had  not  happened — which  is  entire- 
ly   understandable,    but    not    very 


By  RICHARD  L.  EVANS 

profitable.  It  tends  to  clutter  up  the 
present  with  the  wreckage  of  the 
past.  Fighting  against  something 
that  can  be  changed  and  ought  to 
be,  is  thrilling.  But  fighting  against 
what  cannot  be  changed  is  futile. 
We  all  learn  about  disappointment 
and  regret  before  we're  through. 
And  we  all  ought  to  learn  also  how 
to  face  life  as  it  is  and  to  have  the 
faith  to  recover  from  our  disappoint- 
ments. Surely  we  must  make  our 
plans.  Surely  we  must  keep  the 
blueprints  of  our  dreams  before  us. 
Aimless  living  is  intolerable.  But, 
having  done  the  best  we  can,  we 
may  find  our  greatest  victory  in 
what  at  first  seemed  to  be  our  cer- 
tain defeat,  as  Providence  and 
forces  beyond  our  control  step  in 
and  take  over,  and  overrule  the  best- 
laid  plans  of  men. 

—February  6,  1949. 

J^>o  Jake    Lyoar  L^koLce 

"\X7ith  a  limited  amount  of  money, 
we  can't  buy  everything.  With 
a  limited  amount  of  life,  we  can't 
be  everything.  Much  as  we  may 
wish  it  were  otherwise,  whenever 
we  decide  to  do  one  thing,  we  de- 
cide not  to  do  other  things.  If  a  man 
has  more  than  one  talent,  he  is  con- 
stantly faced  with  a  decision  as  to 
which  talent  he  wants  to  give  his 
time  to.  When  lack  of  talent  doesn't 
limit  his  choice,  lack  of  time  does. 
No  man  can  know  all  there  is  to 
know,  not  even  in  one  profession — 
and  perhaps  not  even  in  one  part  of 
one    profession.     Everything    takes 


time.    Even  active  friendship  takes 
time.  When  we  choose  to  spend  a  day 
with  some  people,  we  don't  spend  it 
with  others.    Even  people  of  great- 
est capacity  are  limited  as  to  how 
much  they  can  get  around  and  how 
many  lives  they  can  touch  on  inti- 
mate terms.   Some  men  can  do  more 
things  than  others.    Some  men  can 
be  more  things  than  others.    Some 
men    don't    have    to   narrow   their 
choices  as  much  as  others  do.    But 
no  man  can  be  all  things  to  all  peo- 
ple— not  even  to  himself.   And  even 
though  we  may  think  we  can  be  ac- 
ceptable in  all  kinds  of  company, 
even    though    we    may    think    we 
would  like  to  be  taken  seriously  by 
serious  people,  and  lightly  by  light 
people,  and  carouse  with  those  who 
carouse,  and  be  sanely  sober  with 
those  who  are  sober,  at  every  in- 
stance we  have  to  make  a  choice, 
even  as  a  man  of  limited  means  has 
to  make  his  choice  of  what  is  offered 
on  the  market.  We  can't  be  accept- 
able to  all  circles.    Any  profession 
we  pick,  any  life  we  choose,  any 
friends   we    favor,    all    mean    some 
giving  up  of  other  things.  We  can't 
play  the  whole  field.  We  can't  have 
the  whole  world,  no  more  than  a 
youngster  with  his  penny  can  buy 
one    of    everything    at    the    candy 
counter.    This  is  one  of  life's  great 
lessons.  And  it  is  a  momentous  mat- 
ter, this  deciding  of  what  we  want 
to  be,  and  being  prepared  to  pay  the 
price  of  being   it — for  there  is  no 
such  thing  as  success  for  the  man 
who  casts  himself  in  all  characters. 
In  the  limitless  life  ahead,  there  may 
be  time  and  opportunity  to  be  every- 
thing worth  while  that  we  want  to 
be.    But  here  and  now,  we  have  to 
take  our  choice. 

—February  13,  1949. 
{Concluded  on  page  TIT) 


TLJeard  from  the  "Crossroads  of  the  West"  with  the  Salt  Lake  Tabernacle  Choir  and  Organ  over  a  nation- 

11  wide  radio  network  through  KSL  and  the  Columbia  Broadcasting  System  every  Sunday  at  11:30  a.m. 

Eastern  Time,  10:30  a.m.  Central  Time,  9:30  a.m.  Mountain  Time,  and  8:30  a.m.  Pacific  Time. 


APRIL  1949 


221 


J  St 


M< 


>  at  a  Jiwie 


[ost  men  resist  sudden  change. 
But  there  are  ways  in  which 
tremendous  changes  can  come,  al- 
most without  our  being  aware  of  it. 
By  small  steps  we  may  arrive  at  the 
same  destination,  which  if  we  had 
suddenly  been  brought  there,  we 
would  ruggedly  have  resisted.  A 
step  at  a  time  is  a  well-known  tech- 
nique. And  often  those  who  ad- 
vocate objectives  which  they  know 
would  meet  with  determined  resist- 
ance if  they  should  attempt  to  go  all 
the  way  at  once,  are  content  to  ar- 
rive at  the  same  result,  step  by  step. 
Many  things  are  accomplished  a 
step  at  a  time — both  good  things 
and  bad  things:    for  example,  few 


HIE  SPOKEN  WORD 

( Concluded  from  page  221) 

men  suddenly  acquire  a  habit.  They 
acquire  habits  first  by  trying  some- 
thing the  first  time,  and  then  by  a 
long  and  repeated  and  persistent 
process — which  ultimately  is  just  as 
complete  as  if  it  came  all  at  once. 
Men  have  often  been  led  into  ac- 
cepting slavery  of  one  kind  or  an- 
other, a  step  at  a  time — the  slavery 
of  habit,  of  custom,  of  comfort,  of 
convenience,  and  of  other  kinds 
also.  The  road  to  most  things  lies 
along  this  course:  a  step  at  a  time. 
And  while  each  step  in  any  direction 
may  not  of  itself  seem  to  be  impor- 
tant, any  step  in  any  direction  is 
important.  And  before  ever  we  take 
the  first  step,  we  ought  to  look 
where  we  would  arrive  if  we  were 
to  take  the  second  and  the  third, 
and  all  the  rest  that  were  to  follow. 


And  we  shouldn't  take  the  first  step 
even  if  it  is  comfortable,  or  con- 
venient, or  attractive,  or  enticing, 
if  the  ultimate  end  is  something 
which  in  principle  we  are  or  should 
be  opposed  to.  Any  trend  in  our 
own  lives,  in  our  own  homes,  in  our 
communities,  in  our  country — in  our 
world  —  should  be  appraised  not 
only  for  what  it  is  at  the  outset, 
but  also  for  what  it  could  be  at  the 
other  end.  We  should  never  walk 
blindly  and  irresponsibly  toward 
any  destination.  Whether  it  be  in 
matters  of  personal  habit  or  private 
venture  or  public  policy,  we  have  the 
right  and  responsibility  to  know 
where  each  step  tends  to  take  us, 
no  matter  how  small  the  steps  are 
or  how  easy  they  seem. 

—February  20,  1949. 


^Jke  i\ecord 


At  times  we  may  be  disposed  to 
conduct  our  lives  carelessly  and 
indifferently  on  the  assumption  that 
when  it  is  convenient  or  necessary, 
we  will  settle  down  and  give  a  more 
favorable  account  of  ourselves. 
However,  always  there  comes  a  day 
when  we  have  reason  to  learn  how 
great  is  the  importance  of  the  rec- 
ord— all  the  record — not  only  the 
parts  we  are  proud  of,  but  also  the 
parts  we  wish  weren't  there.  Many 
records  are  kept  in  life,  all  of  which 
add  up  to  the  complete  picture.  In 
school,  a  record  is  kept  of  our  ac- 
complishments in  every  course, 
which  qualifies  our  further  academic 
opportunities.  Records  are  made  of 
the  least  infractions  of  the  law  that 
come  to  official  attention.    Records 


are  made  of  credit  ratings,  of  the 
certainty  and  the  promptness  with 
which  we  pay  off  our  obligations; 
and  our  future  credit  is  qualified  by 
the  record.  Records,  indelible  in 
memory,  are  made  by  our  friends 
and  loved  ones,  of  our  daily  con- 
duct and  consideration  in  the  many 
small  things  that  make  for  happiness 
or  unhappiness.  But  beyond  all  the 
records  which  are  kept  by  others, 
the  record  of  our  lives  is  kept  within 
us.  We  are,  in  fact,  our  own  record. 
We  are  the  summation  of  all  we 
have  done,  all  we  have  seen,  all  we 
have  thought,  all  we  have  experi- 
enced; and  when  the  books  shall  be 
opened  and  men  shall  be  judged, 
self-revelation,  self-judgment,  self- 
appraisal  may  be  expected  to  carry 
the  weight  of  the  evidence — with 
each  man  knowing  fully  what  he  is. 
Sometimes  youth  permit  the  record 


to  become  clouded,  thinking  that  it 
won't  matter  later.  Unfortunately, 
however,  it  does  matter  later.  And 
often  there  follows  the  heartbreak 
of  wishing  the  record  were  different. 
And  so  it  would  seem  that  this 
should  be  said  to  young  people, 
everywhere,  at  home  or  away:  Live 
so  that  you  can  look  at  anyone  with- 
out an  accusing  conscience,  without 
the  memory  of  things  you  wish 
weren't  there.  Be  straight  and  open 
and  honest.  Don't  permit  anything 
to  get  into  your  record  that  will  not 
stand  scrutiny  under  the  searching 
light  of  day.  If  you  do,  it  will  rise 
to  plague  you  in  times  to  come,  and 
your  own  thoughts  will  accuse  you, 
even  when  others  do  not,  for  we 
ourselves  are  our  eternal  record.1 


1Revised 


-February  27,  1949. 


WORLD  AFFAIRS  AND  APRIL  CONFERENCE 


(Concluded  from  page  195) 
"Defore     the     World     Council     Mr. 
Dulles  continued: 

That  is  a  conclusion  that  ought  to  lead 
to  practical  consequences.  The  Christian 
influence  is  considerable  but  as  yet  wholly 
inadequate.  If,  in  the  international  field, 
Christians  are  to  play  their  clearly  indicated 
part,  the  churches  must  have  better  or- 
ganization. They  should  be  able  to  speak 
more     impressively     with     greater     unity. 

222 


They  should  be  able  to  act  with  greater 
co-ordination.  They  should  put  more 
emphasis  on  Christianity  as  a  world  reli- 
gion, remembering  that  God  gave  his  Son 
because  he  loved  the  World,  not  merely  the 
West. 

We  are  reputed  to  have  one  of  the 
soundest,  best  church  organizations  in 
the  world,  judged  by  outside  observers. 
Continuing  the  logic  of  Mr.  Dulles' 
argument,   our   burden   for   generating 


"practical  consequences"  then,  is  even 
greater,  because  of  our  effective  pat- 
tern. 


Incidentally,  what  are  moral  prin- 
ciples? What  are  the  moral  princi- 
ples that  need  to  be  put  to  work,  in 
these  times?  We  might  ponder  this 
question  and  listen  carefully  to  the 
April  conference  messages,  1949. 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


TIN 


E_ j^N  <xAz\^ce\^ 


A  CHRONOLOGY  OF  THE 
BOOK  OF  MORMON 
(Wendell  O.  Rich.   Published  by  the 
author.  Latter-day  Saint  Institute, 
Logan,  Utah.  50c.) 
Tn  this  chart  the  course  of  events  in 
Book  of  Mormon  times  is  shown 
graphically.      Important     contempora- 
neous world  events  are  indicated.   It  is 
an  easily  understood  picture  of  the  suc- 
cession of  events,  difficult  for  the  read- 
er to  prepare  for  himself.  The  work  is 
carefully  done.   It  is  one  of  the  best  of 
such  charts,  and  should  be  very  useful 
to  all  Book  of  Mormon  students. 

— /.  A  W. 

VERDI 

(Dena  Humphreys.  Illustrated.  Henry 
Holt  and  Co.,  New  York. 
1948.  341  pages.  $3.50.) 
\17hen  one  studies  the  lives  of  the 
great  ones,  one  comes  more  and 
more  to  realize  that  fortune  does  not 
smile  on  many,  rather  they  have  to 
make  their  own  desperate  fight  to 
achieve.  The  struggle  of  Verdi — 
against  poverty,  against  illness  and 
death — all  assume  tremendous  import 
in  this  struggle  to  reach  beyond  him- 
self to  the  destiny  that  awaited  him  if 
he  could  but  conquer  his  adversities. 

During  the  life  of  Verdi  great  forces 
were  at  work.  His  music,  almost  more 
than  any  other  single  factor,  fanned  the 
flame  of  liberty  in  the  hearts  of  the 
Italians,  eager  for  their  freedom  from 
Austria.  Also  Verdi  became  aware  of 
the  need  for  care  of  the  wounded — and 
saw  the  birth  of  the  International  Red 
Cross.  Though  Verdi  is  dead,  his 
music  lives  on,  a  tribute  to  his  genius. 
His  great  operas,  Aida,  Falstaff,  Otello, 
Rigoletto,  La  Ttaviata,  II  Trovatore, 
as  well  as  other  of  his  compositions 
have  echoed  in  the  hearts  and  minds  of 
men  to  make  them  feel  that  music  in- 
deed is  the  universal  language. 

— M.  C.  /. 

NATHANIEL  HAWTHORNE 
(Randall  Stewart.    Yale  University 
Press,  New  Haven.    1948. 
279  pages.   $4.00.) 

HPo  those  who  have  grown  up  with 
"The  Great  Stone  Face,"  and  have 
recognized  the  genius  of  The  Scarlet 
Letter,  this  biography  of  the  author  of 
these  and  other  well-loved  tales  will  be 
a  must.  This  work  is  a  definitive  one — 
and  that  adds  to  the  worth  of  it  with- 
out detracting  in  the  least  from  its  in- 
terest. To  have  the  New  England  of 
this  period  revived  as  it  is  by  Profes- 
sor Stewart  is  indeed  an  experience. 
Into  the  book  Melville  comes  with  his 

APRIL  1949 


tall  tales:  Emerson,  with  whom 
Hawthorne  became  cordial;  Lowell  and 
several  of  the  leading  political  figures 
of  the  day,  including  President  Frank- 
lin Pierce  whose  campaign  biography 
Hawthorne  wrote.  But  chief  interest 
of  all,  naturally,  is  that  of  Hawthorne 
and  his  immediate  family  circle.  His 
trip  to  Europe  and  his  experiences  in 
England,  Scotland,  and  Italy  indicate 
some  of  the  materials  that  went  into 
Hawthorne's  later  books.  Without  the 
trip  to  Italy,  for  instance,  The  Marble 
Faun  would  undoubtedly  never  have 
been  written.— M.  C.  J. 

MAXIMS  AND  REFLECTIONS 
(Winston  S.  Churchill.    Houghton 
Mifflin  Co.,  Boston.    1949, 
176  pages  $2.75.) 

"^ot  the  least  important  part  of  this 
book  is  the  introduction  by  Colin 
Coot  which  is  a  delight  to  read  both 
for  the  expression  as  well  as  for  the 
subject  matter.  And  the  reflections  of 
Churchill  are  good — as  Churchill  is  al- 
ways a  master  of  the  English  language. 
In  fact,  one  of  the  maxims  worth 
quoting — among  others  that  should  be 
quoted  if  space  permitted — stresses  the 
value  of  English: 

I  would  make  all  boys  learn  English; 
and  then  I  would  let  the  clever  ones  learn 
Latin  as  an  honour  and  Greek  as  a  treat. 
But  the  only  thing  I  would  whip  them  for 
is  not  knowing  English.  I  would  whip 
them  hard  for  that. 

Churchill  is  so  keen  an  analyst  that 
these  selections  make  fascinating  read- 
ing.—M.  C.  /. 

SWEEPER  IN  THE  SKY 
The  Life  of  Maria  Mitchell 
Helen  Wright.  Macmillan  Company, 
New  York.  1949.  253  pages.  $4.00.) 
'"Phis  biography  of  the  first  woman 
astronomer  in  America  makes 
thought-provoking  reading  indeed.  It 
helps  round  out  a  picture  of  New 
England.  The  setting  for  the  story  is 
unusual  in  its  beginning— on  the  soli- 
tary island  of  Nantucket,  off  the  coast 
of  Massachusetts,  which  was  frequent- 
ly isolated  during  some  of  the  winter 
weeks.  The  setting  is  no  less  delight- 
ful when  it  moves  to  Boston,  to  Eng- 
land, to  Rome— because  Maria  Mitch- 
ell is  there  to  dominate  it  and  give 
vividness  from  her  own  observing  na- 
ture. Her  keen  observation  did  not 
limit  itself  to  the  scene  in  which  she 
moved  or  the  heavens  which  she 
loved;  she  was  a  keen  analyst  of  men 
and  books,  of  science  and  history.  Her 
ability  as  a  teacher  carries  over  to  us 
today  in  her  instructions,  one  of  which 


must  be  quoted:  "You  are  neglecting 
infinities  for  infinitesimals."  And 
throughout  the  book  are  rare  humor 
and  good  common  sense  that  will  add 
much  to  the  lives  of  all  who  are  ex- 
posed to  it. — M.  C.  J. 

CHEAPER  BY  THE  DOZEN 
(Frank  B.  Gilbreth,  Jr.  and  Ernestine 
Gilbreth  Carey.   Illustrated,  Thomas 
Y.  Crowell,  New  York. 
1948.  237  pages.) 

T  iluan  Moller  Gilbreth  and  Frank 
Bunker  Gilbreth  were  industrial  en- 
gineers who  decided  at  the  outset  of 
their  marriage  that  they  wanted  twelve 
children,  preferably  six  boys  and  six 
girls — and  which  in  the  end  is  the  exact 
number  and  division  that  they  had.  The 
way  they  managed  the  family,  and  the 
fun  they  had  together  make  this  book 
an  experience  that  parents  should  not 
miss — in  order  that  they  can  make 
their  own  family  life  better  and  more 
enjoyable.  The  whole  book  is  a  re- 
freshing autobiographical  approach  to 
the  family  life  of  the  Gilbreths.  As 
such,  it  should  do  much  to  cement 
family  loyalties  in  these  days  of  quick 
and  easy  divorce. — Af.  C.  /. 

THE  CHESTRY  OAK 

(Illustrated  by  the  author,  Kate  Seredy, 
The  Viking  Press,  New  York. 
1948.  236  pages.  $2.50.) 
'"The  story  of  the  young  prince  Mich- 
ael of  Hungary  will  make  fascinat- 
ing reading  as  well  as  teach  a  valuable 
lesson  in  democracy  for  young  people. 
How  he  came  to  America  and  lived 
with  the  Brown  family  and  learned  to 
love  farming  will  also  teach  the  value 
of  work.  Kate  Seredy  is  one  writer 
whom  no  young  reader  should  miss — 
and  few  older  ones  will  willingly  miss 
any  of  her  writings.  Her  clever  il- 
lustrations will  add  to  the  interest  of 
the  book.— M.  C.  /. 

THE  FALL  OF  THE  SPANISH-      » 
AMERICAN  EMPIRE 
(Salvador  de  Madariaga.   Macmillan 
Co.,  New  York.   1948. 
443  pages.  $5.00.) 

A  companion  book  to  The  Rise  of 
the  Spanish-American  Empire,  this 
volume  is  one  that  all  North  Americans 
should  read  in  order  to  understand  and 
therefore  appreciate  the  history  of  the 
Central  and  South  Americas.  The  first 
part  of  the  book  is  titled,  The  Soul  of 
the  Indies,  and  deals  with  the  human 
factors  in  this  area,  explaining  many  of 
the  situations  that  exist  even  today  as 
a  result  of  racial  inheritance.  The 
other  three  sections  deal  with  Internal 
Origins  of  the  Secession,  External 
Origins  of  the  Secession,  and  Beggars 
for  Independence,  each  of  which  adds 
its  definitive  contribution  to  the 
scholarly  study  of  this  vast  area  of 
i  Concluded  on  page  246) 
223 


Ljeorae  Gilbert  J^mltk 


'By  Daane  Haley 

Courtesy,  Lee  Studios 


224 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


"V^ 


^ 


^Jo    OW   oLeader! 


'J'o  our  Senior  Editor,  President  George  Albert  Smith,  the 
Era  family,  more  than  eighty  thousand  strong,  with 
300,000  readers,  offer  congratulations  upon  the  anniver- 
sary of  his  natal  day  (April  4,  1870).  May  his  days  long 
increase  upon  the  earth! 

His  people,  the  people  of  the  Church,  mighty  in  truth 
and  faith,  rejoice  in  his  life-long,  intelligent,  unfaltering 
devotion  to  the  eternal  cause  of  Christ.  He  bears  worthily 
the  prophetic  mantle,  handed  down  from  the  Prophet 
Joseph  Smith. 

Grateful  is  the  Church  for  the  leadership  of  a  prophet, 
who  in  its  behalf  can  commune  with  the  Lord.    Other- 
there  could  be  no  certain  progress  amidst  the  issues 


wise, 


of  the  crowded,   passing  day.    By  revelation  alone  can 
man  move  happily  and  safely  towards  his  divine  destiny. 
For  his  welfare  the  prayers  of  the  Latter-day  Saints 
rise  daily  toward  heaven. — /.  A.  W. 


Tn  the  gospel  doctrine  classes  and  priesthood  quo- 
rum study  periods  the  questions  frequently  arise, 
"What  is  an  angel?"  "Was  the  angel  who  ap- 
peared  to  Adam  after  he  was  driven  out  of  the 
Garden  of  Eden  a  resurrected  being?"  These 
discussions  are  based  largely  on  the  statement  in 
the  Doctrine  and  Covenants,  section  130,  verse  5, 
which  is  as  follows:  "...  there  are  no  angels  who 
minister  to  this  earth  but  those  who  do  belong  or 
have  belonged  to  it." 

Because  of  the  misunderstandings  we  feel  it 
proper  to  re-publish  the  following  article  written 
many  years  ago  by  President  Charles  W.  Penrose 
and  published  in  The  Improvement  Era,  Vol, 
15:949-952. 

lA/fio  and    \AJkat  ~J4m  tke  ^rnaet5i 

""Phe  annexed  letter  has  been  received  by  The 
Improvement  Era,  and  I  am  requested  to  an- 
swer it  for  the  benefit  of  others,  as  well  as  "Sub- 
scriber," who  desire  information  on  the  points 
presented. 

"How  can  we  harmonize  the  following  state- 
ments, viz.:  The  Apostle  Paul,  in  I  Cor.   15:20, 


[Reconciliation 


says  that  Christ  is  the  firstfruits  of  the  resurrec- 
tion. The  Prophet  Joseph  Smith,  in  the  Doctrine 
and  Covenants  130:5,  says  "there  are  no  angels 
who  minister  to  this  earth  but  those  who  belong  or 
have  belonged  to  this  earth."  In  the  Doctrine  and 
Covenants  129:1  he  says  angels  are  resurrected 
personages.  In  the  Pearl  of  Great  Price  (Moses 
5:16),  after  the  Lord  sent  our  father  Adam  out  of 
the  Garden,  after  many  days  an  angel  of  the 
Lord  appeared  unto  Adam  and  asked  him  why 
he  offered  sacrifices  unto  the  Lord.  It  would 
appear  that  there  is  an  error  in  some  of  these 
statements.  .  .  .  — Subscriber." 

If  critical  people  would  take  as  much  pains  to 
harmonize  scripture  texts  and  the  sayings  of  in- 
spired men,  as  they  do  to  discover  apparent  con- 
tradictions therein,  much  discussion  would  be 
saved  and  many  contentions  be  avoided.  Most  of 
the  arguments  of  infidels,  and  the  misconceptions 
of  habitual  disputants,  are  the  result  of  incorrect 
conclusions  reached  through  hasty  reading. 

Take,  for  example,  the  quotation  in  the  fore- 
going letter  of  inquiry,  from  section  129,  verse  1, 
of  the  Doctrine  and  Covenants;  reference  to  the 
text  cited  will  show  that  it  is  not  there  stated  that 

{Concluded  on  page  226) 


APRIL  1949 


225 


{Concluded  from  page  225) 

"all"  angels  are  resurrected  beings, 
a  notion  that  our  inquirer,  like  some 
other  persons,  seems  to  entertain 
and  which  forms  the  origin  of  his 
trouble.  The  theme  discoursed  upon 
is  the  presence  in  heaven  of  two 
kinds  or  classes  of  beings,  namely 
first,  resurrected  beings  and,  second, 
spirits  who  are  not  resurrected.  It 
is  not  asserted  that  there  are  no 
other  kinds  of  persons  in  heaven 
than  they,  but  the  subject  treated  is 
of  the  two  classes  mentioned. 

Comparison  with  other  texts  of 
scripture,  ancient  and  modern,  makes 
clear  the  fact  that  there  are  other 
grades  or  classes  of  heavenly 
beings  than  the  two  spoken  of  in 
section  129.  It  is  understood  by 
ordinary  students  of  modern  reli- 
gion that  there  are  perfected  beings 
called  gods,  who  are  higher  than 
the  angels  (see  section  132:16-20), 
and  to  whom  the  angels  are  serv- 
ants. And  even  among  the  gods 
there  are  presiding  personages,  the 
Holy  Trinity  standing  at  the  head. 

There  are  angels  of  various  ap- 
pointments and  stations.  Michael  is 
called  an  "archangel."  (D.  &  C.  29: 
26;  Dan.  10:13.)  Some  are  resur- 
rected beings  like  the  angel  that 
was  sent  to  John  the  Revelator 
(Rev.  22:8-9)  and  those  already 
referred  to  in  D.  &  C.  Sec.  132, 
while  others  are  "ministering  spirits, 
sent  forth  to  minister  for  them  who 
shall  be  heirs  of  salvation."  (Heb. 
1:14.)  Some  of  these  angels  are 
described  as  "the  spirits  of  just  men 
made  perfect"  and  are  "not  resur- 
rected," and  others  were  made  min- 
istering spirits  before  entering  into 
mortality,  serving  among  their  fel- 
lows in  their  pre-existent  state. 
Christ  was  a  ministering  spirit  be- 
fore his  birth  into  this  world.  He 
was  "anointed  above  his  fellows." 
The  angel  Gabriel  was  a  ministering 
spirit  after  he  had  been  a  mortal 
man  (Noah),  and  before  his  resur- 
rection, for  Jesus  of  Nazareth  was 
"the  first-fruits  of  them  that  slept." 
(See  Luke  1:11-30;  Dan.  8:16;  9: 
21.) 

Angels  are  God's  messengers, 
whether  used  in  that  capacity  as  un- 
embodied  spirits,  selected  according 
to  their  capacities  for  the  work  re- 
quired, or  as  disembodied  spirits,  or 
as  translated  men,  or  as  resurrected 
beings.  They  are  agents  of  Deity 
226 


EVIDENCES  AND  RECONCILIATIONS 

of  different  degrees  of  intelligence, 
power,  and  authority,  under  the  di- 
rection of  higher  dignitaries,  and 
subject  to  the  law  and  order  in  their 
respective  spheres.  Elijah,  who  ap- 
peared with  Moses  on  the  Mount  of 
Transfiguration,  was  a  translated 
man;  Moses  at  that  time  was  either 
a  translated  man  or  a  spirit  minister- 
ing to  the  Savior;  both  acted  in  the 
capacity  of  angels.  ( Luke  9 :  23-33. ) 
Enoch's  band  of  translated  beings 
doubtless  appeared  as  angels  in 
manifestations  to  the  patriarchs 
recorded  in  the  book  of  Genesis. 

Angels  high  in  authority  have 
been  clothed  on  special  occasions 
with  the  right  to  represent  Deity 
personally.  They  have  appeared 
and  have  been  recognized  .  .  .  just 
as  royal  ambassadors  of  earthly 
potentates  have  acted,  as  recorded 
in  history.  The  angel  spoken  of 
in  Exodus  23:20-22  was  one  of 
these.  So  also  was  the  angel 
already  spoken  of  who  ministered 
to  John  on  the  Isle  of  Patmos,  and 
used  the  names  and  titles  of  the  Son 
of  God.  (Rev.  1:1.) 

The  popular  notion  that  angels 
are  winged  beings,  because  it  is 
stated  by  some  scripture  writers  that 
they  saw  them  "flying  through  the 
heavens,"  is  a  fallacy.  Cherubim 
and  seraphim  spoken  of  by  Ezekiel 
and  Isaiah,  are  not  to  be  classed 
with  the  angels,  for  the  angels  are 
of  the  same  race  and  descent  as 
men,  whether  in  body  or  in  spirit, 
and  do  not  need  wings  for  locomo- 
tion, nor  do  they  appear  in  birdlike 
form.  They  are  of  the  family  of 
Deity  in  different  degrees  of  pro- 
gression and  are  "in  the  image  and 
likeness"  of  the  Most  High. 

There  are  fallen  angels,  too,  who 
were  cast  down  for  transgression,  as 
mentioned  by  Jude  (verse  6),  chief 
among  whom  on  this  earth  is  Lucifer 
or  Satan,  who  has  sought  on  many 
occasions  to  appear  as  an  "angel 
of  light"  to  deceive  and  lead  astray, 
and  who  tempted  the  Son  of  God 
but  failed  in  his  efforts  as  he  did 
with  Moses  and  with  the  Prophet 
Joseph  Smith.  (See  Luke  4:1-13; 
Moses  1:12-22;    D.  &  C.  128:20.) 


Of  those  who  have  leisure  and 
means  to  improve  their  minds  and 
make  themselves  very  useful,  there 
are  but  few  who  do  not  squander 
their  time  and  means. 

— Brigham  Young 


That  great  spiritual  personage  was 
an  angel  of  God  in  his  "first  estate," 
and  yet  never  had  a  body  of  flesh, 
but  "was  in  authority  in  the  presence 
of  God"  as  a  spirit,  before  he  re- 
belled and  was  "thrust  down."  (D. 
SC  76:25-28.) 

Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  all  an- 
gels are  not  resurrected  beings,  nor 
is  it  so  declared.  There  is  no  con- 
flict between  what  is  revealed  con- 
cerning angels  who  have  appeared 
to  man  and  the  statement  in  the 
Doctrine  and  Covenants  130:5.  In 
the  first  place,  it  is  not  there  de- 
clared that  no  angels  from  or  be- 
longing to  other  worlds  have  ever 
ministered  on  this  earth.  The  words 
are  in  the  present  tense;  that  is: 
"There  are  no  angels  who  minister 
to  this  earth  but  those  who  do  be- 
long or  have  belonged  to  it."  That 
is  absolutely  correct  as  it  relates  to 
the  present  and  many  of  the  past 
dispensations.  It  may  also  be  true 
as  to  the  ministrations  of  heavenly 
beings  to  man  on  this  earth,  ever 
since  the  fall.  The  angel  who  spoke 
to  Adam  when  he  offered  sacrifice, 
like  the  Savior  himself,  doubtless 
"belongs  to  this  earth"  through  re- 
ceiving a  tabernacle  here  subse- 
quent to  his  appearance  as  a  "min- 
istering spirit"  in  the  beginning. 
Abraham,  Jeremiah,  many  others 
not  mentioned  in  scripture  by  name, 
were  among  "the  noble  and  great 
ones,"  chosen  before  they  were  born 
into  this  world  and  ministering  as 
required  under  the  direction  of  the 
Holy  Ones  on  high.  They  have 
"belonged  to  this  earth"  in  their 
time  and  station  and  are  numbered 
and  recognized.  .  .  . 

Investigation  of  sacred  writings  is 
commendable,  and  when  conducted 
for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  correct 
information  should  be  encouraged. 
When  pursued  in  a  spirit  of  in- 
credulity or  to  provoke  contention 
or  cast  doubt  on  the  inspiration  of 
ancient  or  modern  prophets,  it  is  not 
profitable  but  injurious.  Diligence 
in  comparing  text  with  text  to  dis- 
cover the  real  intent  and  meaning 
of  the  respective  writers  is  desirable, 
rather  than  efforts  to  draw  infer- 
ences from  the  bare  wording,  which 
often,  being  but  a  translation,  does 
not  warrant  the  conclusions  hastily 
reached.  "...  the  letter  killeth,  but 
the  spirit  giveth  life."  (II  Cor.  3:6.) 

— Charles  W.  Penrose. 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


Why  Standard  helps  young  scientists  through  school 


The  student's  lamp  that  lights 
America's  future  never  needed 
to  burn  more  brightly  than  today. 

During  this  school  year,  we  have  extended 
our  graduate  fellowship  program  from  19  to 
25  scholarships  and  have  increased  the  grants 
from  $1,000  to  $1,250,  plus  tuition  where  it 
is  needed.  These  scholarships  are  awarded  by 
14  universities  to  promising  young  scientists 
and  engineers.  We, hope  some  of  them  may 
later  work  with  Standard  of  California,  but 
there  is  no  obligation  either  in  their  choice 
of  studies  or  career. 

This  is  the  eleventh  year  of  these  Scholar- 
ship Awards.  It  is  our  sincere  hope  they  will 


help  develop  the  well-trained  men  and  women 
who  can  best  insure  continued  progress  for 
the  West  and  the  whole  United  States. 


Standard  Oil  Company  of  California 


APRIL  1949 


227 


^  ^/i  Doctors  agree  that  for  physi- 
^■^  cal  and  mental  development 
the  first  year  is  the  most  im- 
portant year  in  a  child's  life. 

This  means  that  extra  spe- 
cial care  must  be  taken  to 
insure  proper  development 
throughout  this  all-import- 
ant year. 

This  is  why  we  take  such 
scrupulous  care  in  the  pro- 
duction of  Special  Morning 
Milk,  the  evaporated  milk 
that  so  many  doctors  recom- 
mend for  baby's  formula. 
We  carefully  control  each 
production  step,  from  the 
farm  to  your  grocer;  and  we 
add  extra  vitamins  A  and  D 
in  just  the  right  amount  to 
help  insure  proper  bone  and 
tooth  development. 

Be  glad  when  your  doctor 
prescribes  Special  Morning 
Milk  for  your  baby's  first 


Here's  your 
CHECK  CHART  for 
flHl '  MVffiNS 


vvfrw 


-GiodTjavor 


Yes  on  every  count  when  you 
bake  the  Clabber  Girl  way  with 
Clabber  Girl,  the  baking  powder 
with  balanced  double  action  ... 
Ask  Mother,  She  Knows. 

CLABBER  GIRL 

"Baking  *fWlei 


How  to  Make  the 
Family  Work 


D»  (Lugene   \Jl6 


6en 


How  I  wish  that  someone  had  told 
me  what  I  am  about  to  tell.     I 
have  lost  valuable  years  by  not 
having  a  plan,  a  family  plan! 

By  the  merest  chance  I  learned 
of  a  family  in  the  Bear  Lake  coun- 
try who  formed  a  family  co-op 
when  the  mother  died.  The  father 
called  his  children,  married  and  un- 
married, together  and  said,  "Your 
mother  and  I  have  been  able  to  get 
along    fairly  well   until   now.      We 


have  fed  and  clothed  and  schooled 
you.  But  from  now  on  I  will  need 
your  help.  Let  us  organize  the 
family  and  help  each  other." 

They  perfected  an  organization 
and  put  in  the  family  co-op  fund  a 
certain  amount  of  money  each 
month.  The  first  project  was  to 
send  the  eldest  son  to  college.  He 
was  married  and  teaching  school, 
but  if  he  went  for  a  short  time  long- 
er, he  could  teach  in  high  school. 
The  higher  wages  he  then  earned 
would  be  used  to  send  the  younger 
son  on  a  mission. 


228 


The  last  I  heard  of  this  family, 
the  co-op  was  working  out  very 
well.  Each  member  had  been  help- 
ed to  attain  a  higher  place  in  the 
world.  The  family  was  more  united 
than  it  had  ever  been,  and  the 
father  felt  secure  for  his  old  age. 
He  had  taught  his  family  how  to 
work  together. 

Another  family  decided  to  organ- 
ize and  build  a  home  for  each  child. 
The  unmarried  children  could  use 
the  rent  on  the  extra  home  to  send 
them  on  a  mission  or  to  college.  It 
took  seven  years  to  finish  the  first 
co-op  home.  They  soon  saw  that  if 
the  young  couples  were  to  have  a 
good-sized  house  while  the  children 
were  young,  they  would  have  to 
construct  basement  houses.  These 
cost  only  about  one-fourth  of  what 
it  takes  to  build  on  top.  They  have 
a  bath  and  plenty  of  room  for  a 
growing  family. 

By  using  cinder  blocks  the  cost 
of  these  houses  was  cut  to  a  mini- 
mum and  figured  less  than  average 
rent.  This  family  completed  four 
homes,  and  only  two  were  needed 
by  the  family.  The  other  two  were 
rented  to  provide  money  for  mis- 
sions and  schooling.  One  of  the 
places  was  used  as  an  insurance 
policy  in  case  of  death  to  the  bread- 
winner. It  was  a  paid-up  policy, 
but  some  of  the  family  insisted  on 
making  a  premium  payment  each 
month  to  add  to  the  family  co-op 
fund. 

For  years  we  have  heard  the 
story  about  the  father  who  called 
his  sons  together  and  handed  them 
a  bundle  of  sticks.  "Break  this 
bundle,"  he  said. 

Each  boy  tried  to  break  the 
bundle,  but  it  was  not  possible. 
Then  the  father  untied  the  sticks. 
Each  son  could  easily  break  the 
single  sticks.  The  moral  was  plain 
to  the  boys. 

We  may  have  failed  many  times 
because  we  didn't  know  how  to  tie 
the  bundle  together.  What  we  need 
most  is  someone  to  show  us  a  way 
to  tie  our  bundle.  What  fits  one 
family  may  not  fit  another.  The 
battle  is  half  won  if  we  make  a 
plan.  If  the  first  plan  does  not  suc- 
ceed, try,  try  again. 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


Josephine  B.  Nichols 

"D  ecipes  which  will  help  you  celebrate 
Easter. 


Qrapefruit'Rhubarb'Cocktail 

Combine  two  cups  rhubarb  juice  with 
one  and  one-half  cups  canned  grapefruit, 
add  a  dash  of  salt,  and  chill. 


Rhubarb  Juice 

Wash,  trim,  and  cut  into  one-inch  pieces 
one  pound  rhubarb,  cook  in  one  and  one- 
half  cups  water,  until  soft.  Press  through 
sieve.  Add  one-half  cup  sugar,  heat  un- 
til sugar  is  dissolved. 

Tuna-Egg-Mushroom    Pie 

Line  a  shallow  pyrex  dish  with  piecrust 
and  brown  in  oven.     Let  cool. 


Pie  Filling 

1  7-oz.  can  tuna 

2  hard  cooked   eggs    (cubed) 
1  can  mushroom  soup 

J/>  cup  water 

J-4  cup  minced   green  pepper 
J4  cup  minced  pimento 
1  tablespoon  grated  onion 

Heat  soup,  milk,  and  water  in  double 
boiler,  stirring  until  smooth.  Add  remaining 
ingredients.  Place  mixture  in  pie  shell;  heat 
in  moderate  oven  {350CF)  twenty  minutes. 
Garnish  and  serve. 


Frosted  Buns 

J4  cup  shortening 
34  cup  sugar 

1   teaspoon  salt 

1  egg 

1   cup  milk 

1   egg  1  cup  milk 
%  cup  water 

1   cake  fresh  yeast 

6  to  6]/2  cups  flour 

1    teaspoon  cinnamon 
Yl  teaspoon   nutmeg 

Sift  flour;  measure;  sift  again  with  spices. 
Heat  milk;  add  water;  cool  to  lukewarm. 
Add  crumbled  yeast;  stir  until  dissolved. 
Add  melted  shortening,  sugar,  salt,  and 
beaten  egg.  Mix  well.  Add  all  flour  at 
one  time.  Mix  until  dough  leaves  sides 
of  bowl.  Turn  out  on  lightly  floured  board. 
Knead  gently  until  smooth.  Place  dough 
in  large  greased  bowl;  cover  with  damp 
cloth. 

Let  rise  in  warm  place  about  two  hours, 
or  until  double  in  bulk.  Punch  down  to 
original  size;  remove  from  bowl  onto 
board;  let  remain  fifteen  minutes.  Shape 
into  small  balls.      Place  two  inches   apart 

(Concluded  on  page  230) 
APRIL  1949 


.   .   .  and  naturally,  when  he  came  home  from  a  long  trip, 
Mrs.  T.S.  was  very  happy — until  she  unpacked  his  bag. 

The  clean  white  shirts  he  took  away  always  came  back  with 

a  "mourning  band"  of  railroad  dust  ground  into  the  collars  and  cuffs. 

And  the  job  of  getting  those  shirts  white  again  was  not  only 

a  test  of  wifely  devotion — it  was  very  hard  on  the  shirts. 

The  happy  ending  to  this  story  came  the  first  time  Mrs.  T.S.  tried 
Fels-Naptha  Soap  Chips.  To  use  her  own  words,  "I  never  had 
any  white  shirts  come  out  any  whiter — and  no  rubbing!" 


P.S.— Golden  Fels-Naptha  Soap  gives  you 

THE  EXTRA  WASHING  HELP  of  TWO  CLEANERS- 

MILD,  GOLDEN  SOAP  and  ACTIVE  NAPTHA  .  .  . 

This  better  laundry  soap  turns  out 
cleaner,  whiter  washes  in  less  time, 
with  less  hard,  tiring  work. 
Look  for  the  Fels-Naptha  Bar  or 
Fels-Naptha  Soap  Chips  next 
time  you're  out  shopping. 


MADE  IN  PHILA. 
BY  FEIS  &  CO. 


GOLDEN  BAR  OR  GOLDEN  CHIPS 


Fels-Naptha  Soap 


BANISHES  "TATTLE-TALE  GRAY" 


229 


TONIGHT  AT  6:30 

plan  to  have  Tuna  en  Casserole 
made  with  this  improved 


With  "the  tuna  that  almost 
serves  itself". . .  it's  one  of  the 
easiest,  quickest  of  hot  entrees. 
A  satisfying  main  dish  that 
everybody  will  like,  including 
Dad.  ("Bite-size"  tuna  is  some- 
thing a  man  can  "get  his  teeth 


Trademark  of  Van  Camp  Sea  Food    Co.  Inc.,  Terminal  Island,  Calif. 


230 


Cook's  Corner 

{Concluded  from  page  229) 

on  greased  cooky  sheet  or  place  in  greased 
muffin  pans.  Cover  with  damp  cloth;  let 
rise  at  room  temperature  about  forty-five 
minutes,  or  until  double  in  bulk.  Bake  in 
hot  oven  (425°  F.)  twelve  or  fifteen  min- 
utes. While  they  are  warm  spread  gen- 
erously with  powdered  sugar  frosting. 
Serve  hot. 

Desserts  for  the  "Small-Fry" 
Easter  Bunnies  and  Eggs  in  a  Nest 
Jaunty  marshmallow  bunnies  are  fasten- 
ed on  vanilla  wafers  with  dabs  of  seven- 
minute  frosting.  Bunnies  are  made  by  us- 
ing halved  marshmallows  for  the  legs, 
whole  ones  for  bodies  and  heads,  pink 
candy  almonds  for  ears,  cloves  for  eyes. 
The  bodies  of  the  bunnies  may  be  made 
secure  with   frosting. 

Blue,  pink,  and  green  candy  almonds 
are  the  eggs  in  a  nest  of  shredded  coconut 
atop  frosted  cup  cakes.  Place  cup  cakes 
on  lace  paper  doilies. 

Salt  Lake  Theatre  to  Produce  Play 
Calt  Lake  Theatre,  Inc.,  working 
in  cooperation  with  the  Mutual  Im- 
provement Associations  closes  its  ninth 
season  by  presenting  The  Winslow 
Boy  during  conference,  on  Monday, 
Tuesday,  and  Wednesday,  April  4,  5, 
6,  at  the  Lyric  Theatre  in  Salt  Lake 
City.  It  will  be  directed  by  Rowena  J. 
Miller  and  stage-managed  by  Bea 
Thomas,  and  Mavis  Hickman  will  be 
assistant  director.  Taylorsville,  North 
Seventeenth,  Marlborough,  North 
Twentieth,  University,  First,  Poplar 
Grove,  Edgehill,  and  North  Eighteenth 
are  all  represented  in  the  all-star  cast. 

Salt  Lake  Theatre  was  organized  to 
create  an  opportunity  for  Latter-day 
Saint  young  people  to  develop  and  dis- 
play their  dramatic  talents.  During 
its  nine  years,  the  organization  has 
given  such  opportunity  to  several  mem- 
bers of  the  Church.  Some  have  com- 
muted each  day  from  as  far  away  as 
Ogden  and  Kaysville  to  rehearse. 

Salt  Lake  Theatre  members  have 
gone  to  ward  and  stake  meetings  foe 
demonstrations  on  makeup,  lectures  on 
costuming,  lighting,  sound,  scenic  de- 
sign, and  myriad  other  production  de- 
tails necessary  to  good  theatre. 
Among  other  activities,  the  Salt  Lake 
Theatre  was  in  complete  charge  of  all 
backstage  work  of  the  Centennial 
pageant,  The  Message  of  the  Ages, 
and  directed  a  great  number  of  the 
individual  sequences.  This  organiza- 
tion also  handled  all  the  makeup  for 
the  Aaronic  Priesthood  pageant,  Pre- 
pare Ye  the  Way,  constructed  the 
wagons  used  in  the  tableau  in  the  uni- 
versity stadium  in  July  1946,  and  in 
addition  produced  the  tableaus. 

At  least  a  dozen  members  of  Salt 
Lake  Theatre  are  actively  engaged  in 
directing  and  producing  plays  in  their 
own  wards  and  stakes,  in  addition  to 
their  own  activities. 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


Your  Day  Is  Now 


{Concluded  from  page  204) 
may  learn  to  think  more  effectively 
and  that  we  may  learn  to  prepare 
ourselves  for  the  work  of  living. 
These  two  processes  come  together 
and  depend  on  one  another.  One 
day  when  we  have  sensed  more 
keenly  the  security  which  comes 
from  developed  minds,  we  may  more 
fully  understand  that  ignorance  is 
sin,  that  knowledge  is  a  virtue,  and 
that  intelligence  is  a  reality — the 
glory  of  God. 

Most  of  you  are  thinking  of  the 
time  when  you  will  take  a  major 
role  in  homes  of  your  own — the 
men  as  fathers  and  breadwinners, 
the  young  women  more  commonly 
as  mothers  and  counselors.  No  long- 
er does  any  young  Latter-day  Saint 
man  have  the  right  to  stumble  into 
a  vocation  or  occupation.  No  long- 
er in  America  should  vocation  be  a 
problem  of  mere  accident.  In  an 
increasingly  complex  civilization, 
the  young  man  or  woman  who  does 
not  plan  his  education  carefully  is 
lining  himself  up  to  play  on  the  los- 
ing side.  As  each  of  you  thinks 
about  his  schooling,  you  may  know 
that  various  schools  are  thinking 
about  you  and  your  needs.  Most  of 
our  high  schools,  vocational  schools, 
and  colleges  of  today  have  accepted 
the  challenge  that  people  come  first 
and  that  subject  matter  is  useful 
only  as  it  relates  to  the  human  fam- 
ily. 

In  schools  that  are  doing  their 
work  well,  the  student  may  find  op- 
portunity for  self-analysis  and  for 
aid  from  counseling  and  objective 
testing  services.  Occupations  and 
vocations  of  the  community,  the 
state,  and  the  nation  are  carefully 
reviewed;  and  each  young  man  and 
woman  has  the  right  to  expect  that 
he  shall  not  have  to  choose  in  the 
dark  but  may  move  in  an  organized 
way  to  a  life's  work  of  his  careful 
choosing. 

In  short,  there  are  things  which 
really  matter  to  you,  the  young  peo- 
ple of  the  Church.  They  are  not 
mere  trifles,  but  the  stuff  out  of 
which  life  is  made.  They  involve 
your  bodies,  your  minds,  your 
schools,  your  vocations,  your  girl 
friends,  your  families,  your  neigh- 
borhoods, your  country,  and  your 
Church. 

(Dr.  Lloyd's  second  article  is  scheduled 
to  appear  in  a  succeeding  issue.) 

APRIL  1949 


When  your  baby 


at  you 


\17hen  a  baby  smiles  often  and 
easily,  when  he  laughs  out 
loud  from  sheer  joy,  it  means  that 
he  is  well-fed  .  . .  for  only  a  well-fed 
baby  is  a  happy  baby.  And  when 
babies  are  fed  on -Sego  Milk  they 
are  as  a  rule  sturdy,  well-developed, 
happy  babies. 

Sego  Milk  is  a  favored  form  of 
milk  for  babies  because  of  the  sure 
freedom  from  harmful  germs;  the 
uniform,  unvarying  richness  in  all 
the  food  substances  of  whole  milk; 
the  ready  digestibility  that  frees 
babies  almost  completely  from 
digestive  disturbances. 

There  is  also  another  important 
point  of  quality.  Sego  Milk  supplies 
the  vitamin  D  that  a  baby  must  have 
in  order  to  develop  sound  teeth, 
straight  bones,  and  to  have  the  best 
of  growth. 

Each  pint  of  Sego 
Milk   contains   400 


units  of  pure  vitamin  D,  —  the 
new  form  of  the  sunshine  vitamin. 
"When  you  mix  a  pint  of  double-rich 
Sego  Milk  with  a  pint  of  water,  you 
have  a  quart  of  rich  whole  milk 
which  provides — in  pure  form — the 
amount  of  vitamin  D  per  quart  of 
milk  that  medical  authorities  agree 
babies  need  for  the  best  of  growth 
and  development. 

Sego  Milk  is  the  first  brand  of 
evaporated  milk  to  be  fortified  with 
pure  vitamin  D;l  Ask  your  doctor 
about  it. 

This  seal  certifies  that  all 
statements  made  here  have 
been  accepted  as  true  by  the 
Council  on  Foods  and  Nutrition  of 
the  American  Medical  Association. 

5§l  This  seal  certifies  that  the 
Wisconsin  Alumni  Research 
Foundation  makes  periodic 
tests  to  determine  that  Sego  Milk  di- 
luted with  an  equal  amount  of  water 
always  gives  you  400  units  of  vitamin 
D  per  quart. 


SEGO  MILK 


To  get  your  copy  of  the  64-page  baby  book  and  Mary 
Lee    Taylor's    newest    recipe    book,    write    Dept.    E-8. 

SEGO  MILK  PRODUCTS  CO.  —  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah 

The  -Standard  of  Highest  Quality  for  More  Than  Forty   Years 

231 


STAR-KIST  TUNA  ROYALE 


Attractive,  easy -to -make  dish 

has  new  slant— costs  $1*05! 

Make  it  in  30  minutes!  A  simple  recipe 
with  a  proud  look.  Use  Star-Kist  Tuna  for 
milder,  finer  flavor  . . .  it's  the  best-tasting 
tuna  in  all  the  world. 

STAR-KIST   TUNA  ROYALE 

Blend  V2  cup  milk  with  2  cups  prepared  biscuit  mix 
(dough  should  be  soft,  but  not  sticky;  if  too  dry  add 
more  milk).  Pat  out  half  of  dough  in  each  of  two  8"pans; 
brush  with  butter.  Bake  in  450°F.  oven  15-20  minutes. 

FILLING 

1  7-oz.  can  Fancy  Solid  Pack      Va  cup  cooked  or  canned 

(or  New  Chunk  Style  peas 

Grated}  Tuna  ,.  „       .    .         .. 

-  ...  '*  CUP  sliced  ripe  olives 

2  cans  condensed  mushroom 

soup  2  tablespoons  pimiento 

Heat  above  ingredients  slowly,  stirring  frequently.  Pile 
piping  hot  filling  between  layers  and  on  top  of  short- 
cake. Serves  6. 


BUY  SOLID  PACK  OR 
CHUNK  STYLE  GRATED 
. .  .  STAR-KIST  QUALITY 
IS  THE  SAME! 

• 
FREE  TUNA  RECIPE  BOOK 

Makes  Menu  Planning  Easy 
Economical,  kitchen-tested  tuna 
recipes.  24-page  booklet!  Write 
Star-KistTuna,  Terminal  Island, 
California,  Department  4-E. 


Enriched  with   Vitamins   and   Iron 


wmo 


t  I     o  f     R  O  Y  A  I     1AK  I  NO     CO 


and     O  fl  d  • 


SEE  THE  BLIND  MAN  FOR 
EASY  TERMS 

FREE  ESTIMATES 


[CftMMftNS 


VENETIAN  BLIND  &  SHADE  CO. 

2420  SOUTH  STATE  ST.   PBONE  6-1827 


HOTEL  LANKERSHIM 

7th  S  BROADWAY 


MODERATE  RATES 

L.  D.  S.  Headauarters  in  Los  Angelas 

FRANK   R.  WISHON.  Operator 

RAY  H.  BECKETT.  Manager 


LOS  ANGELES 

"T*0  PERSQNS       ••      ONE  CHARGE" 


The  Church  Moves  On 

(Continued  from  page  197) 
mail  the  serviceman  copies  of  the  Book 
of  Mormon  and  Principles  of  the  Gos- 
pel, the  books  that  L.D.S.  service  per- 
sonnel had  during  World  War  II.  He 
will  also  be  sent  a  directory  of  mission 
and  stake  meeting  places  near  existing 
military  camps. 

Wards  are  expected  to  keep  in  touch 
with  servicemen  through  letters  and 
Church  publications. 

The  letter  announcing  this  new  serv- 
icemen's program  concludes: 

If  we  keep  in  touch  with  these  boys,  we 
may  go  far  toward  protecting  them  against 
temptations  of  the  world  and  helping  them 
to  keep  up  their  Church  interest  and  ac- 
tivity. 


MISSIONARIES  ENTERING  THE  MISSIONARY  HOME 

JANUARY  24,  AND  DEPARTING  FEBRUARY  2,  1949 

(Top  picture,  page  233) 

Reading  from  left  to  right,  first  row:  Marian 
Soderquist,  Helen  Lange,  Wanda  Farmer,  J.  Mcrvin 
Owens,  David  E.  Hepworth,  Don  B.  Colton,  director; 
Gerald  R.  Rudy,  Louis  L,  Brossard,  Barney  Sessions, 
Jack  W.  Worthen. 

Second  row:  Helen  Bitters,  Let  ha  Moyes,  Mary  L. 
Petersen,  Monette  H.  Holmes,  Pauline  I.  Varaia, 
Mildred  M.  Wehrwein,  Gloria  G.  Jackson,  Thelma 
Brinkerhoff,  Betty  Nelson. 

Third  row:  Miriel  Talbot  Dredge,  Geraldine  Bing- 
ham, Cleo  Johnson,  LaVona  Richins,  Jennie  Robin- 
son, Richard  L.  Parter,  Paul  H.  Smith,  Byron  J.  Gil- 
bert, Doris  Mortensen. 

Fourth  row:  Dayton  Crane,  Kenneth  C.  Irving, 
W.  D.  Harris,  Cleston  Anderson,  G.  Dwayne  Seeley, 
Beverly  Johnson,  Ernest  Kearl,  Jr.,  Gordon  J.  Merrill, 
Edgar  K.  Meier,  Morris  R.  Graves. 

Fifth  row:  LaMar  Smith,  Boyd  Storey,  J,  Keith 
Woodfleld,  Donald  Neville,  A.  June  Black,  Mary  F. 
Lawrence,  Norma  Skeem,  Lena  Perry. 

Sixth  row:  Maurice  W.  Jackson,  Virginia  Davis, 
Betty  Jo  Lunt,  Lamont  Schenk,  Doyle  W.  Elison, 
Harold  L.  Lloyd,  Deaun  Christensen,  Jennie  Gough, 
Keith  Carter,  Marshall  Fox. 

Seventh  row:  Calvin  C.  Dredge,  Leon  R.  Hartshorn, 
Wayne  Timothy,  Ferrell  Madsen,  Gladys  Moore, 
Robert  Kearl,  John  LaMar  Skeen.  Dee  Lewder,  Bruce 
Mendenhall,  Stanley  C.  Sheppard. 

Eighth  row:  Lukan  Sorensen,  Harold  L.  Zltting, 
Dwight  S.  Williams,  Ira  B.  Call,  Frank  Stoddard, 
Raymond  W.  Homer,  William  H.  Payne,  Gene  L. 
Holland,  George  L.  Mitton,  Howard  Bartow. 

Ninth  row:  Don  M,  Christensen,  Evan  G.  Crowther, 
Max  S.  Hanks,  Reed  Olsen  Griffiths,  Vol  Ray  Feller, 
Grant  Blaine  Dockstader,  Robert  C.  Ashdown,  Dal* 
P.    Gallentine. 

Tenth  row:  Lawrence  E.  Welling,  Teddy  Grant 
Davis,  David  L.  Kieslg,  Joseph  A.  Manzione,  Jr., 
Harry  Hollingshaus,  Wade  G.  Dewey,  George  Neil 
McRae,  Thomas  Alfred  Judd,  Hobert  L.  Stay,  Douglas 
S.  Mann,  Stanley  Udell  Smith. 

Eleventh  row:  Lloyd  Goodman,  Nephi  J.  Anderson, 
Kenneth  I.  Perry,  Carlton  T.  Sumslon,  Wayne  T. 
Blomquist,  Keith  Dort  Bybee,  Perron  Moon,  Norman 
Ellertson. 

Twelfth  row:  Ruel  E.  Anderson,  Warren  Child, 
David  A.  Taylor,  Richard  E.  Shaw,  Don  Russell,  Lynn 
A.  Swensen,  Dennis  Ode//  Fife,  Ken  Hamblin. 

Thirteenth  row:  Max  Jones,  Sidney  C.  Yeates, 
Jack  R.  Egan,  Delay  Zillis,  Claude  Heater,  Eldon 
Chandler,  Leon  E.  Orme,  Walter  Jack  Hill,  Charles 
D.  Atkinson. 

Fourteenth  row:  Ray  E.  Hancock,  Vernon  E.  Mor- 
ris, Elvin  Drake,  John  R.  Newbold,  Gordon  D.  Bodily, 
Monte  F.  Hales,  Booth  A.  Crabtree,  Kendall  Smith. 

Fifteenth  row:  Melvln  Carl  Hunter,  Vernal  Orland 
Peterson,  Edgar  LaVar  Meacham,  Larry  Duane 
Brimhall,  Chester  H.  Lamoreaux,  David  S.  Lindsay, 
Raymond  A.  Smith. 

Sixteenth  row:  Leslie  J.  Booth,  Cecil  Dale  Jolley, 
Ivon  R.  Wall,  Leness  Keller,  Robert  Wilcox,  Bill 
Jacobson,  Marley  D.  Petersen. 

Seventeenth  row:  Boyd  F.  Jensen,  Larry  V.  Muder, 
Harlo  Walz,  Keith  T.  Carlson,  Herbert  F.  Hawkes, 
Earl  Girgor,  Alma  M.  Wilson. 

Balcony:    LeRoy  McGee,  Fred  H.  Hebdon. 


■  ♦  ■ 


232 


REQUEST 

By  Elaine  V.  Emans 

"jlflAY  there  always  be  a  hill 
1V1  Pqj.  me  t0  be  climbing  toward 
Its  summit.    Whether  I  reach  it 
Is  less  important,  Lord. 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


THE  CHURCH  MOVES  ON 


MISSIONARIES  ENTERING  THE  MISSIONARY  HOME 
JANUARY  10,  AND  DEPARTING  JANUARY  19,  1949 

Below,  reading  from  left  to  right,  first  row:  David 
H.  Simister,  Blaine  H.  Le  Chiminant  (kneeling),  My- 
ron A.  Frazier,  Joan  Ruth  Miller,  Rosilind  Tiffany, 
Gertrude  Fritzsche,  Don  B.  Colton,  director;  Nolan 
Lynn  Terry,  Mary  Alice  Call,  Floyd  Lamonde  Packard, 
Joyce  Lundell. 

Second  row:  lea  Mockli,  Elna  King,  Audrey 
Leavitt,  John  B.  Hawkes,  Laura  M.  Hawkes,  James 
H.  Wiltbank,  Sadie  Wiltbank,  Wallace  Shields, 
David  Stevens. 

Third  row:  Shirley  Garrett,  Helen  Crum,  Lois 
Love,  Hessie  Bunderson,  Birdice  Crouch,  Ethel  Hors- 
pool,  Jerry  K.  Lawrence,  Genevieve  Hamilton,  Don 
McBride,  C.  August  Sanders. 

Fourth  row:  Verona  Kelsey,  Lenore  Christensen, 
John  Seaton,  Barbara  Swensen,  Ruth  Peel,  William 
Y.  Farnsworth,  Ralph  W.  Beyer,  Cleone  Stewart  Tal- 
bot, Parley  T.  Anderson. 

Fifth  row:  W.  LaVon  Gifford,  Lamona  Jenson, 
Avis  Barsby,  Robert  H.  Barker,  Ross  K.  Clements, 
Mark  J.  Gibson,  George  C.  Sparks,  Ralph  O.  Hicken- 
looper,  Cecil  E.  Bown,  Conrad  G.  Stone,  Frank  Old- 
royd. 


Sixth  row:  Carl  Lawson,  Norris  R.  Kunz,  Bryce 
Sorensen,  Melvin  Blamires,  William  Kropfli,  Ariel 
Ricks,  Herold  L.  Gregory,  Dexter  S.  Harton,  Wayne 
L.  Ellingson,  Elmer  L.  Holley,  David  B.  Carlisle. 

Seventh  row:  Ernest  S.  Wells,  Darvel  M.  Robbins, 
Ronald  D.  Nelson,  Yalton  E.  Jackson,  W.  Russell 
Palfreyman,  Jack  R.  Bagley,  Richard  C.  Johnson, 
Bruce  R.  Andresen,  Donald  S.  Bowman. 

Eighth  row:  Cecil  Joseph  Row  berry,  David  Rawson 
Hall,  Bernard  E.  Price,  Garth  M.  Harris,  D.  Max 
Lawrence,  Wayne  R.  Barrow,  Vance  M.  Holland, 
Reed  K.  Westover,  Gilbert  W.  Greene,  Richard 
Heaton. 

Ninth  row:  Reed  LeRoy  Roberts,  Howard  T.  Gor- 
ringe,  Horace  E.  Coltrin,  Rex  Don  Sandberg,  Dean 
R.  Cannon,  Blaine  Burton,  Jack  E.  Warner,  Richard 
May,  Boyd  Campbell,  LaVor  Neuenswander,  Keith 
B.  Hanson. 

Tenth  row:  Alton  E.  Larsen,  Don  V.  Black,  Jesse 
N.  Udall,  S.  Duane  Wright,  William  S.  Blair,  Gordon 
R.  Woolley,  Jr.,  Stanley  J.  Whitaker,  Thomas  B. 
Carter,  Lloyd  Simpson,  Douglas  R.  Bunker,  Gilbert 
Raymond  Jorgensen. 

Eleventh  row:  Arthur  C.  Rich  ins,  Claude  E.  Bur- 
ns, Dale  Hanks,  John  A.  Burger,  Richard  G.  Crisp, 
Guenter  Stoll,  Vernon  R.  Waltman,  Russell  J.  Schaer- 
rer,  Spencer  Keith  Hutchins,  Verl  F.  McMillan. 


Twelfth  row:  Kenneth  Hoskisson,  Vernon  Meland- 
er,  David  C.  Janson. 

Thirteenth  row:  John  A.  Trimble,  LeGrand  Hol- 
brook,  Frank  Keller,  Reed  S.  McEntire,  Wayne  Stoker, 
Weston  Jackson,  Jay  Croxford,  Jo  L.  Knight,  Elwood 
A.  Gwilliam,  Gerald  G.  Morgan,  Boyd  C.  Rich. 

Fourteenth  row:  Joel  R.  Garrett,  Jack  H.  Goaslind, 
Hyrum  A.  Kramer,  Marlow  Waite  Plumb,  Heber 
Homer  Anderson,  Van  L.  Shumway,  Darwin  Seamons, 
John    Whitaker,   Dexter  Allan. 

Fifteenth  row:  Glen  S.  Porter,  Dan  L.  Ripplinger, 
E.  W.  Buehner,  Burton  R.  Stringfellow,  Alden  M. 
Packer. 

Sixteenth  row:  Charles  Eldon  Guntry,  Stanley  K. 
Bramwell,  Carvel  Whitehead,  Chesley  Pierson,  Bryce 
Obray,  Donald  D.  Law,  Robert  G.  Harker,  L.  Don 
Briggs,  Sterling  R.  Provost. 

Seventeenth  row:  Lee  T.  Harris,  James  C.  Ham- 
ilton, Stanley  J.  Pettingill,  R.  Gordon  LeBaron,  Rulon 
Briggs,  Floyd  A.  O'Neil. 

Eighteenth  row:    Edward  L.  Kearl,  LeRoy  E.  Porter. 

Nineteenth  row:  Richard  P.  Anderson,  Guy  W. 
Bowlby,  Ken  E.  Willardson,  Herschel  N.  Pederson. 

Twentieth  row:  Clair  Anderson,  John  R.  Clawson, 
Dan  Wayne  Andersen,  Paul  Woolston,  John  R.  Chris- 
tiansen, Gilbert  G.  Tobler,  Harold  A.  Sorensen, 
Theo  K.   Hollie. 


APRIL  1949 


233 


EMPLOYMENT  PROGRAM  FLOW  CHART  OF  OCCUPATIONAL  RESOURCES 


Employer 
Members 


Present  Employer 
of  each  member 


Unused  jobs  in 
own  search 


Local  Industry  needs 

or  agricultural 

opportunities 


Newspaper  ads 
Job  &  Business 
Opportunities 


Church  Building 
Program 


Six  sources  ofj  occupational  information  available  to  each  priesthood  &  Relief  Society  Organisation 


High  Priests 


Seventies 


if 


Elders 


Adult  Members 


Priests 


Teachers 


Notet  This  employment  program 
functions  through  present  officers, 
established  organization  and  schedule 
of  meetings. 


Represented^bjr  member_of  bishopric 


Relief  Society 


Representing_ 
Women 


WARD  WELFARE  COMMITTEE 
(Placement  Counselors) 


STAKE  WELFARE  COMMITTEE 
(Placement  Counselors) 


ir 


Other  Ward 


Other  Ward 


Other  Ward 


Sends  unused  jobs, 

'to  ward  employment 

placement  counselor 


s>j^  Placement  counselor  to  relay 
j/y^obs  to  priesthood  and  Relief 
^Society  units 

Jobs  not  used  in  ward  pool  sent 
r  'to  stake  employment  placement 
counselor 


I  Stake  employment  placement  counselor 
to  relay  jobs  to  and  from  wards 


Other  Ward 


Other  Ward 


I 


Other  Ward 


1 


Other  Ward 


Important*  Make  sure  every  reasonable  effort  is  made  to  effect  placement  by  the  local  ward  groups,  pass  on  to  noone 
any  direct  service  you  can  perform  in  helpfulness  to  your  brother.  "And  again  I  say  unto  you,  let  every  man  esteem 
his  brother  as  himself."  D.  &  C.  38i25. 


PRIESTHOOD  EMPLOYMENT  PLACEMENT  ACTIVITIES 


/"\n  the  Melchizedek  Priesthood  pages 
of  the  March  1949  Improvement 
Era  was  published  an  article  entitled, 
"Priesthood  Quorum  Aid  in  Economic 
Welfare."  This  outlined  in  a  general 
way  the  need  for  priesthood  employ- 
ment placement  activities. 

Following  is  an  article  to  explain 
the  various  sources  of  employment  in- 
formation available  to  quorums  and 
the  use  to  be  made  of  the  information 
compiled.  Two  charts  have  been  re- 
produced on  these  pages.  The  one 
is  entitled  "Priesthood  Program  of 
Occupational  Placement,"  and  the 
other  "Employment  Program  Flow 
Chart  of  Occupational  Resources." 
Examination  will  show  that  the  first 
chart  shows  in  some  detail  how  this 
program  operates  within  a  quorum. 
The  second  chart  shows  the  inter-rela- 
tion of  all  ward  and  stake  organiza- 
tions in  the  over-all  program  and  how 
the  combined  pooling  of  information 
is  subsequently  made  available  to  each 
unit  cooperating  in  this  enterprise. 

This  program  is  designed  to  use 
234 


the  individual  and  his  willingness  to 
contribute  information  through  the 
channels  of  the  priesthood,  with  the 
assistance  of  the  ward  welfare  com- 
mittee, to  pool  occupational  informa- 
tion from  which  he  can  be  aided  by 
information  contributed  by  others. 

At  the  top  of  the  "flow  chart"  are 
shown  six  blocks  listing  sources  of 
occupational  information  available  to 
each  priesthood  quorum  and  other 
organizations.  These  same  sources,  in 
greater  detail  are  listed  on  the  second 
chart.  In  addition,  the  second  chart 
shows  one  block  entitled,  "Other  Local 
Occupational  Information  Resources." 
This  permits  the  list  of  resources  to 
be  extended  as  local  conditions  may 
warrant.  For  purposes  of  simplifi- 
cation the  following  additional  in- 
formation is  listed  in  accordance  with 
the  blocks  shown  at  the  top  of  the 
"flow  chart": 

Employer  Members:  This  term 
should  be  interpreted  in  a  broad  sense 
to  include  not  only  the  industrialist 
who  might  be  within  our  priesthood 


ranks,  but  should  include  all  quorum 
members  insofar  as  they  may  be  em- 
ployers in  any  capacity. 

Our  housewives  have  some  work  in 
housecleaning  and  spring  renovation 
work.  The  family  automobile  needs 
some  maintenance  care  and  repair  serv- 
ice. Coal  may  need  to  be  delivered 
to  our  homes,  the  garden  lot  be  plow- 
ed, shrubs  planted  or  pruned.  These 
are  all  instances  wherein  we  are  in 
the  role  of  an  employer  for  at  least 
a  limited  period  of  time.  Our  report- 
ing of  these  needs  for  workers  through 
the  priesthood  quorums  assists  greatly 
in  supplying  part-time  jobs  for  our 
elderly  and  our  physically  handicapped 
people  whose  abilities  prohibit  their 
taking  full-time  or  steady  jobs.  Such 
jobs  assist  those  who  are  struggling 
to  meet  rising  living  costs  with  inade- 
quate earnings  and  those  who  may 
need  additional  income  to  support  a 
missionary  in  the  field. 

Present  Employer  of  Each  Member: 
Each  employer  is  anxious  to  receive 
detailed  information  concerning  pros- 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


CONDUCTED   BY  THE  GENERAL  PRIESTHOOD  60MMITTEE   OF  THE   COUNCIL  OF   THE 

TWELVE — HAROLD   B.   LEE.   CHAIRMAN;   EZRA  TAFT  BENSON,   MARION   G.   ROMNEY, 

THOMAS  E.  MC  KAY.  CLIFFORD  E.  YOUNG,  ALMA  SONNE,  LEVI  EDGAR  YOUNG, 

ANTOINE  R.  IVINS.  RICHARD  L.  EVANS,  OSCAR  A.  KIRKHAM,  S.  DILWORTH 

YOUNG,  MILTON  R.  HUNTER,  BRUCE  R.  MC  CONKIE 


pective  employees.  Present  employees 
are  in  an  excellent  position  to  make 
recommendations  and  to  furnish  such 
information  concerning  those  whom 
they  recommend.  This  affords  an  ideal 
opportunity  to  each  quorum  member 
employed  to  render  a  valuable  service 
to  quorum  members  and  employers 
alike.  Employers  have  been  using 
this  pattern  of  finding  new  workers 
through  their  own  employees  for  years 
and  are  anxious  to  have  individuals 
recommended  in  this  manner. 

Unused  Jobs  in  Own  Search:  Priest- 
hood members  looking  about  for  em- 
ployment become  acquainted  with 
many  jobs  which  they,  themselves, 
cannot  fill.  Wise  priesthood  presi- 
dents will  provide  for  the  pooling  of 
this  information  in  the  quorum  for  the 
benefit  of  all  members. 


Local  Industry  Needs  or  Agricul- 
tural Opportunities:  Specific  assign- 
ments may  be  made  for  members  to 
contact  local  industries  to  learn  of 
their  specific  employment  needs.  All 
information  gained  should  be  turned 
over  to  the  quorum  where  the  mem- 
bers may  have  access  to  such  informa- 
tion. Employers  are  usually  happy 
and  willing  to  cooperate  in  such  an 
enterprise.  The  regional  employment 
office  might  likewise  be  contacted.  Such 
offices  are  usually  willing  to  list  the 
skills  needed  by  those  whom  they 
serve.  Occupational  information  should 
not  be  limited  to  jobs  or  positions  in 
industry.  Business  and  agricultural 
opportunities  should  also  be  con- 
sidered. 

[Concluded  on  page  238) 


PRIESTHOOD  PROGRAM  OF  OCCUPATIONAL  PLACEMENT 

Foreword:  The  Melchizedek  Priesthood  and  the  Welfare  Handbooks  set  forth 
plainly  what  should  be  done.  This  chart  suggests  how  some  priesthood  groups  have 
proceeded  to  accomplish  what  is  desired  in  this  activity. 


EMPLOYER  MEMBERS*  Examples* 
May  pool  car  repair  and 
maintenance  jobs,  housework 
and  repairs,  painting, 
garden  and  farm  work,  em- 
ployment in  business. 


^ 


PRESENT  EMPLOYER  OF  EACH 
MEMBER!  Report  all  open- 
ings listed  or  contem- 
plated where  you  are  now 
working,  or  any  that  have 
come  to  your  notice. 


UNUSED  JOBS  IN  OWN  SEARCH: 
Call  for  information  on 
job3  found  by  those  who 
are  in  search  of  employ- 
ment and  which  they  can- 
not use. 


RESOURCES  FOR  OCCUPATIONAL  INFORMATION 


CHURCH  BUILDING  PROGRAM! 
Pay  Jobs  which  cannot  be 
filled  by  local  contri- 
bution labor* 


V 


I 


PRIESTHOOD  QUORUM  OR  GROUPi 

Melchizedek  Priesthood 

Personal  Welfare  Comm.  Chm. 

Rep.  of  Adult  Members 

Member  of  Bishopric  for 

Priests  and  Teachers. 


£_ 


ESOURCES 


OTHER  LOCAL  OCCUPATIONAL 

INFORMATION  RESOURCES: 


Which  you  may  add  locally 


FOR  OCCUPATIONAL  INFORMATION 


LOCAL  INDUSTRY  NEEDS  CR  AGRI- 
CULTURAL OPPORTUNITIES: 
Assignments  can  be  made  to  a 
qualified  person  to  contact 
local  industries  for  employ- 
ment opportunities.  May  use 
member  now  employed  there. 
In  agricultural  areas  you 
would  list  the  farms  for 
sale  or  lease;  also  list  the 
needs  for  workers  on  farms. 


CT'T 

Pr.     Adult  Mem.     Teachers 


^ 


NEWSPAPER  ADV.  FOR  JOBS, 
BUSINESS  OPPORTUNITIES  AND 
FARM  LISTINGS:     Compile  ad- 
vertisements in  daily  papers 
and  magazines.     Few  people 
can  afford  to  subscribe  for 
all  papers.     This  list  can 
be  supplied  the  quorum 
largely  through  assignment 
of  a  few  members. 


WARD  WELFARE  COMMITTEE 
EMPLOYMENT  PLACEMENT  COUNSELORS 


T  i 


1      tT  Hi 

H.Pr.   Seventies   Elders 


STAKE  WELFARE  COMMITTEE 
EMPLOYMENT  PLACEMENT  COUNSELOR. 


NO-UQUOR-TOBACCO 
COLUMN 

Conducted  by 
Dr.  Joseph  F.  Merrill 


APRIL  1949 


Who  Keeps  the  Word  of  Wisdom? 

An  answer  to  this  question,  general- 
ly considered  fairly  satisfactory, 
is  the  person  who  abstains  from  the 
consumption  of  narcotics,  tea,  coffee, 
alcoholic  beverages,  and  tobacco.  And 
yet  the  Word  of  Wisdom — Section  89 
in  the  Doctrine  and  Covenants — con- 
tains about  twice  as  many  words  rela- 
tive to  foods  as  to  narcotics.  The 
reader  may  count  them  for  himself. 

Now  in  recent  years  we  have  been 
giving  special  attention  to  promoting 
abstinence  from  the  use  of  liquor  and 
tobacco,  but  with  no  thought  of  dis- 
counting in  any  way  whatsoever,  the 
importance  of  other  teachings  in  the 
Word  of  Wisdom.  The  growing  use 
of  liquor  and  tobacco,  especially 
among  women,  and  the  greater  moral 
and  spiritual  deterioration  their  con- 
sumption entails,  created  the  need  for 
an  intensified  campaign  against  their 
use.  But  a  person  is  badly  in  error  who 
assumes  or  believes  that  the  Word  of 
Wisdom  is  fully,  or  even  satisfactorily, 
observed  by  abstaining  from  the  use  of 
tea,  coffee,  alcoholic  beverages,  and 
tobacco,  and  giving  no  attention  to 
foods. 

In  recent  years  the  Word  of  Wis- 
dom is  frequently  referred  to  as  "the 
Lord's  law  of  health."  The  first  time 
this  writer  ever  heard  this  expression 
was  about  thirty  years  ago  in  an  M.I. 
A.  meeting  on  fast  Sunday.  The 
speaker  was  a  prominent  non-Mormon 
doctor  of  Salt  Lake  City.  He  called 
it  the  Lord's  law  of  health,  saying  in- 
sofar as  he  knew,  it  was  the  best  brief 
statement  in  the  English  language  rela- 
tive to  facts  pertaining  to  food  upon 
which  health  depends.  Since  that  time 
experts  in  the  field  of  nutrition  gener- 
ally agree  that  food  has  more  to  do 
with  health  than  any  other  factor 
affecting  health.  And  in  order  that 
food  may  do  its  most  for  health,  it 
must  be  a  balanced  diet,  made  up  of 
five  essential  food  substances  which 
they  name — proteins,  fats,  carbohy- 
drates, minerals,  and  vitamins.  (There 
are  several  varieties  of  each  of  these 
substances.)  A  balanced  diet  con- 
tains these  substances  in  the  right  pro- 
portions. 

In  these  days  probably  the  majority 
of  homes  in  America  have  heard  of 
the  need  of  a  balanced  diet  and  in  a 
general  way,  of  what  it  consists.  How- 
ever, there  are  multitudes  of  people 
who  do  not  get  a  balanced  diet,  even 
(Continued  on  page  238) 
235 


WARD  YOUTH  LEADERSHIP 

OUTLINE  OF  STUDY 

MAY  1949 

Teach  the  Truth 

Tt  is  recommended  that  the  lesson  for 
May  be  a  review  of  the  lessons  for 
February,  March,  and  April,  appearing, 
respectively,  in  The  Improvement 
Era  for  January,  February,  and  March 
1949.  Review  questions  for  each  les- 
son are  listed  below.  The  class  lead- 
ers should  review  carefully  the  lessons 
so  that  questions  may  be  answered  on 
the  basis  of  the  material  provided 
therein. 

Review  Questions — February  1949 

1.  What  is  the  principal  obligation 
assumed  by  those  who  accept  the  re- 
sponsibility of  teaching  in  the  Church? 

2.  What  two  classes  of  teachers  are 
inclined  to  preach  or  teach  false  doc- 
trine disguised  as  truth? 

3.  Discuss  the  influence  and  power 
of  truth  upon  the  minds  of  men. 

4.  What  are  the  dividends  that  come 
from  teaching  youth? 

Review  Questions — March  1949 

5.  Discuss  the  Lord's  definition  of 
truth.   (See  D.  &  C.  84:44-45.) 

6.  What  is  the  word  of  the  Lord? 
(SeeD.  &C.  68:4.) 

7.  Discuss  the  two  sources  of  truth 
as  outlined. 

Review  Questions — April  1949 

8.  Discuss  the  Lord's  further  defini- 
tion of  truth  (D.  &  C.  93:24)  and 
show  its  relationship  to  question  seven 
above. 

9.  What  is  the  relationship  between 
fact  and  truth? 


NORTH  DAVIS  STAKE  AARON IC  PRIESTHOOD  AND  BOY  SCOUTS  FETED  AT  BARBECUE 

More  than  five  hundred  Aaron- 
ic Priesthood  members  and  Boy 
Scouts,  were  honored  at  a  bar- 
becue at  the  North  Davis  Junior 
High  School  recently. 

In  charge  of  the  banquet  were 
members  of  the  North  Davis 
Stake  Aaronic  Priesthood  com- 
mittee consisting  of  Jesse  D. 
Barlow,  Keith  S.  Smith,  Calvin  D. 
Corbridge,  and  Henry  D.  Call. 
Artell  Chandler,  assisted  by  wives 
of  Aaronic  Priesthood  committee 
members,  prepared  the  dinner. 
Speakers  included  LeGrand  Rich- 
ards, presiding  bishop  of  the 
Church,  and  Lee  Kay,  education- 
al director  of  the  Utah  state 
fish  and  game  department.  Col- 
ored films  of  bird  life  and  scenic  views  of  Utah  were  shown. 

Boy  Scouts  from  the  Wasatch  and  North  Davis  districts  lighted  their  torches  of  liberty  as  a   part  of 
the  program. 


Ward  Teaching 

How  to  Perfect  the  Body 

■\T7ard  teaching  is  as  vital  to  the 
strengthening  of  the  body  of  the 
Church  as  the  circulatory  system  is  to 
the  human  body.  The  perfectly  organ- 
ized circulatory  system  works  unceas- 
ingly to  penetrate  and  reach  every 
organ  and  member  of  the  human  body. 
Through  this  medium  all  parts  of  the 
body  may  be  nourished,  purified,  and 
strengthened.  Perfect  functioning  of 
the  body  then,  is  dependent  upon  effi- 
cient circulation  which  reaches  every 
member  or  organ  of  the  body. 

Ward  teaching  parallels  in  function 
the  circulatory  system  of  the  human 
body.  The  divine  injunction,  "to  watch 
over  the  church  always,  and  be  with 
and  strengthen  them,"  is  given  directly 
to  teachers.  (D.  &  C.  20:53.)  In  order 
to  do  this,  ward  teachers  should  cir- 


culate among  the  members  of  the 
Church  with  the  intention  of  reaching 
every  member  residing  in  an  assigned 
district.  They  should  diligently  pur- 
sue this  work,  keeping  in  mind  the  ob- 
jective of  overcoming  inactivity  which 
is  the  primary  cause  of  spiritual  death 
among  members  of  the  Church. 

The  body  of  the  Church,  like  the 
human  body,  fails  to  function  properly 
unless  each  member  is  spiritually  alive 
and  contributing  to  the  Church  by  par- 
ticipating in  some  form  of  activity.  If 
even  one  member  dies  spiritually,  the 
Church  is  weakened,  and,  like  the  hu- 
man body,  there  is  danger  of  that  in- 
fluence being  extended  to  others.  This 
is  particularly  true  in  the  case  of  par- 
ents who  may,  because  of  indifference, 
transmit  the  same  attitude  to  their  chil- 
dren. The  ward  teacher  then  should 
be  untiring  in  his  efforts  to  "see  that 
all  members  do  their  duty,"  and  thus 
make  of  the  Church  a  perfect  body. 


FAIRVIEW   WARD 

(FRANKLIN  STAKE) 

AARONIC 

PRIESTHOOD 

CHORUS 


This  Aaronic  Priesthood  Chorus  in  the  Fairview  Ward,  Franklin  (Idaho)  Stake,  has  been  organized  nearly  two  years  and  is  growing  all  the  time.  The  secret 
of  their  success,  in  addition  to  efficient  leadership,  is  that  the  boys  have  enjoyed  a  public  performance  at  least  once  each  month  since  the  chorus  was  organized. 

Public  performances  of  the  group  include  singing  in  the  Logan  Temple,  quarterly  conference,  stake  and  ward  officers  and  teachers  meetings,  centennial  pro- 
gram, ward  conferences,  sacrament  meetings,  Scout  court  of  honor,  Christmas  program,  and  numerous  auxiliary  meetings. 

Matilda  B.  Gilbert  directs  the  chorus  with  Cherill  Hyde  and  Marcia  Whittle  as  organists.  Enlistment  officers  are  Ruth  Rowlings,  Lydia  Cottle,  and  James 
Cottle,  charged  with  enrolment,  attendance,  and  morale.    It  sounds  like  a  good  organization  idea  for  others, — good  because  it  works. 

256  THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


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Aaronic  Priesthood-LD.S.  Girls 

Attendance  at  Quarterly  . 
Conference  Sessions 

HPhe  Presiding  Bishopric  request  all 
stake  presidents  and  ward  bishop- 
rics, as  well  as  all  stake  and  ward 
committees  for  Aaronic  Priesthood 
members  and  Latter-day  Saint  girls  to 
encourage  these  young  people  of  the 
Church  to  attend  stake  quarterly  con- 
ferences. 

Provision  should  be  made  through- 
out the  Church,  in  each  stake  and  in 
each  ward,  for  young  people  to  re- 
ceive credit  ( looking  to  achievement  of 
the  Standard  Quorum,  Standard  Group, 
and  Individual  Certificate  of  Awards) 
for  their  attendance  at  the  quarterly 
conference  sessions  in  the  stake  in 
which  they  reside.  Thus,  each  Aaronic 
Priesthood  boy  or  Latter-day  Saint 
girl  who  attends  the  morning  session 
of  a  stake  quarterly  conference  may 
receive  credit  therefor  in  lieu  of  at- 
tendance at  Sunday  School  on  that 
day.  Likewise,  each  Aaronic  Priest- 
hood boy  or  Latter-day  Saint  girl  who 
attends  the  afternoon  or  evening  ses- 
sion of  a  stake  quarterly  conference 
may  receive  credit  therefor  in  lieu  of 
attendance  at  sacrament  meeting  on 
that  day. 

Kindly  keep  in  mind  that  all  young 
people  of  the  Church  are  to  be  in- 
formed of  this  plan,  that  they  may 
avail  themselves  of  every  opportunity 
to  attend,  where  possible,  all  quarter- 
ly conferences  of  the  stakes  in  which 
they  reside. 


Aaronic  Priesthood 
Restoration  Program 

HPhe  one  hundred  twentieth  anniver- 
sary of  the  restoration  of  the 
Aaronic  Priesthood  falls  on  Sunday, 
May  15.  It  is  not  often  that  the  actual 
anniversary  date  comes  on  the  Sab- 
bath day. 

As  in  the  past,  it  is  suggested  that 
we  precede  the  actual  celebrating  of 
this  day  with  pilgrimages  or  hikes  to 
places  of  historical  or  special  interest, 
or  conduct  athletic  tournaments  or 
other  attractions  for  young  men,  on 
Saturday,  May  14.  Any  such  events 
should  be  planned  on  a  ward  or  stake 
basis,  but  where  convenient  the  stake, 
in  agreement  with  bishoprics,  may  plan 
and  conduct  the  outings.  Where  auto- 
mobiles travel  in  caravans,  extreme 
care  should  be  taken  to  avoid  acci- 
dents. Those  in  charge  are  cautioned 
to  avoid  overnight  camping  that  con- 
flicts with  the  Sabbath. 

It  is  suggested  if  camping  is  to  be 
included  in  the  program,  that  it  be 
done  on  Friday  night  with  all  boys  and 
leaders  returning  to  their  homes  on 
Saturday  evening  in  readiness  to  par- 
ticipate in  the  Sabbath  day  feature  of 
the  celebration. 

The  day  should  reach  its  climax  in 
the  sacrament  meeting,  where  the 
Aaronic  Priesthood  members  should 
participate  in  furnishing  the  program. 
The  bishop  as  the  president  of  the 
Aaronic  Priesthood  in  the  ward  should 
conduct  the  service.  The  ushering, 
praying,  and  singing  should  be  done  by 
members  of  the  Aaronic  Priesthood. 
Aaronic  Priesthood  members  should 
also  officiate  at  the  sacrament  table. 


SHARON  STAKE  HOLDS  CONFERENCE 


The  theme:  Appreciation  for  the 
priesthood. 

Preliminary  music:  By  member  or 
members  of  the  Aaronic  Priesthood. 
Stringed,  organ,  or  piano  music. 

1.  Opening  song  —  "Joseph  Smith's 
First  Prayer"  ■ —  Verse  arrange- 
ment from  Aaronic  Priesthood 
Choruses,  p.   113. 

2.  Invocation — A  deacon 

3.  Sacrament  song 

4.  Special  musical  number  —  Duet, 
"On  Lovely  Susquehanna's 
Banks,"  Aaronic  Priesthood 
Choruses,  p.  36. 

5.  A  brief  story  of  the  restoration  of 
the  Aaronic  Priesthood— A  priest, 
five  minutes. 

6.  How  activity  in  the  Aaronic 
Priesthood  helps  me  to  live  a 
better  life — A  deacon,  five  min- 
utes. 

7.  Why  every  teacher  should  ap- 
preciate the  opportunity  to  do 
ward  teaching — A  teacher,  five 
minutes. 

8.  Special  musical  number  —  Solo, 
"Priesthood  of  God"  —  Aaronic 
Priesthood  Choruses,  p.  18. 

9.  What  I  appreciate  about  the 
Aaronic  Priesthood  which  I  bear 
— A  priest,  five  minutes. 

10.  How  my  faith  has  been  strength- 
ened through  working  with  mem- 
bers of  the  Aaronic  Priesthood — 
General  secretary,  five  minutes. 

11.  Why  I  consider  it  a  privilege  to 
preside  over  the  Aaronic  Priest- 
hood— The  bishop. 

12.  Special  music  —  Aaronic  Priest- 
hood Chorus:  "I'll  Go  Where 
You  Want  Me  to  Go,"  Aaronic 
Priesthood  Choruses,  p.  60. 

13.  Benediction — A  teacher. 


The  Sharon  Stake  adult  members  of  the  Aaronic  Priesthood  recently  sponsored  a  conference  in  the  Pleasant  View  Ward  chapel  for  their  members  and 
wiyes.  More  than  three  hundred  persons  were  in  attendance.  Invited  guests  included  members  of  the  stake  presidency,  high  council,  and  ward  bishoprics.  The 
successful  conference  was  engineered  by  George  N.  Ashby,  executive  chairman,  together  with  the  members  of  the  stake  committee  which  includes  C.  Romney  Kim- 
ball,  Paul  H.  Taylor,  and  J.  Morris  Bird. 

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Hotel  Utah 


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COFFEE  SHOP 
EMPIRE  ROOM 
STARLITE  GARDENS 


Priesthood  Employment 

(Concluded  from  page  235) 
Newspaper  Ads,  Jobs,  and  Business 
Opportunities:  Newspaper  advertise- 
ments for  jobs,  business  opportunities 
and  farm  listings  should  also  be  a  re- 
source to  the  priesthood  quorum.  Few 
individuals  subscribe  for  all  the  news- 
papers and  magazines  wherein  jobs 
and  husiness  opportunities  are  adver- 
tised. A  pooling  of  information  from 
each  of  the  advertising  mediums  will 
usually  give  a  sizable  list  of  employ- 
ment opportunities. 

Church  Building  Program:  Priest- 
hood quorums  might  find  a  resource 
through  wards  which  are  building  new 
chapels.  Some  wards  are  obliged  to 
hire  tradesmen  in  addition  to  their 
members  who  are  contributing  of  their 
time.  Wards  of  the  stake  may  find 
from  the  priesthood  membership  of 
their  wards  these  needed  workers.  A 
careful  follow-up  of  these  opportuni- 
ties should  provide  some  employment 
opportunities  on  the  construction  of 
these  buildings. 

Other  Resources:  We  suggest  that 
you  survey  every  local  opportunity 
that  will  offer  a  resource  of  occupa- 
tional information  to  supplement  the 
job  information  pool.  It  is  self-evi- 
dent that  the  larger  the  occupational 
pool  the  more  complete  will  be  the 
opportunity  to  help  in  the  employment 
placement  activity.  Much  can  be  done 
to  encourage  the  spirit  of  brother- 
hood within  priesthood  quorums 
through  providing  this  means  of  help- 
ing brethren  to  become  self-sustaining 
in  the  full  meaning  of  the  word. 


238 


No-Liquor-Tobacco  Column 

[Continued  from  page  235) 
when  and  where  food  is  plentiful. 
This  may  be  due  to  indifference  or 
poverty.  Too  many  people  seem  to 
confuse  good  nutrition  with  high  liv- 
ing. A  nutritious  diet  may  be  a  rela- 
tively inexpensive  diet.  Apparently  it 
is  all  too  frequently  forgotten,  both  by 
laymen  and  scientists,  that  bad  nutri- 
tion follows  either  deficiencies  or  ex- 
cesses. 

It  is  only  in  recent  years  that  a 
knowledge  has  been  taught  of  the  es- 
sential part  played  by  vitamins  in 
nutrition.  Bad  nutrition  may  exist 
where  food  is  plentiful  due  to  excessive 
quantity  of  a  single  food  or  to  a  lack 
of  minerals  and  vitamins,  especially 
vitamins.  Then  soon  or  late,  deficiency 
diseases  may  result.  Among  these  are 
scurvy,  beriberi,  pellagra,  and  rickets. 
Even  though  none  of  these  diseases 
develop,  this  is  no  proof  that  the  diet 
may  not  be  sadly  unbalanced,  result- 
ing in  subnormal  conditions  of  the 
(Concluded  on  page  240) 
THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


wdi  y0u 


ier . 


•  • 


KNOWING  THE  MORMONS? 

LOoes  believing  as  tlieij  believe  mane  any  difference  to  one's 
happiness,  contentment  and  life's  purpose  ? 

Reading  such  books  as  these  affords  rich  exploratory  experiences  into  the  beliefs  of  the  Latter-day 

Saints  and  in  discovering  the  outcomes: 


WHAT  OF  THE  MORMONS? $1.50 

By  Gordon  B.  Hinckley 

A  very  readable,  interesting  overview  of  the 
story  oi  the  Latter-day  Saints,  their  principles, 
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JOSEPH  SMITH  AN  AMERICAN  PROPHET  $3.25 

By  John  Henry  Evans 

The  Latter-day  Saints  are  better  understood 
when  the  career  oi  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith 
is  known  and  adequately  appraised. 


SHARING  THE  GOSPEL  WITH  OTHERS..$2.50 

By  President  George  Albert  Smith 

The  fundamental  motivation  of  the  Latter-day 
Saints  is  concretely  illustrated  by  the  pre- 
cepts of  this  book. 

HOW  THE  DESERT  WAS  TAMED  $1.25 

By  John  A.  Widtsoe 

The  great  historical  achievement  of  the  Latter- 
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A  SKEPTIC  DISCOVERS  MORMONISM....$1.50 

By  Timberline  Riggs 

A  case  study — an  investigator  persuades  him- 
self that  it  is  good. 

TRUTH  AND  THE  MASTER'S  TOUCH $2.00 

By  James  J.  Unopulos 

Another    case    study — an    inquisitive    young 
man  converts  himself. 


WORLD  RELIGIONS  IN  THE  LIGHT  OF 

MORMONISM $2.00 

By  Thomas  C.  Romney 

The  beliefs  of  the  Latter-day  Saints  appraised 
in  relation  to  the  beliefs  of  others. 


PRELUDE  TO  THE  KINGDOM  $2.75 

By  Gustive  O.  Larson 

When  people  work  out  their  convictions  in 
action  both  they  and  their  principles  are 
tested.  This  book  reports  the  outcomes  of 
several  cooperative  enterprises  of  the  Latter- 
day  Saints. 


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Address. 


APRIL  1949 


239 


umwier 


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uciPier... 


A  complete  Academic 
Quarter  on  the  Provo  and 
Alpine  Campuses. 

FIRST  TERM: 
June  13  to  luly  22 

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July  25  to  August  26 

All  Colleges  and  De- 
partments of  the  Univer- 
sity will  offer  both  regu- 
lar and  special  courses. 

A  splendid  group  of 
visiting  instructors  will 
be  on  hand  in  addition 
to  the  regular  BYU  Facul- 
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Special  features  in- 
clude institutes  and  clin- 
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and  a  wide  variety  of 
recreational  offerings. 

Write  for  a  Summer  Catalog 

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UNIVERSITY 

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Better  Bred 

CHICKS 


RAMSHAW  White  Leg- 
horn Chicks  ore  the 
product  of  one  of  the 
nation's  largest  U.S.R.O.P.  breed- 
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hardiness,  health  and  high  pro- 
duction. Also  fine  quality  Heavy 
varieties.  Catalog  and  price  list 
free.  U.S.R.O.P.  and  U.S.  Ap- 
proved,  U.S.    Pullorum   Passed. 

W.  Ed  Ramshaw  —  H.  Grant  Ivins 

RAMSHAW 

HATCHERIES  &  BREEDING  FARMS 

3687   SOUTH   STATE 
Salt  Lake  City  6,  Uteh 


(Concluded  from  page  238) 
body,  permitting  other  diseases  to 
develop.  Experts  now  teach  that  too 
much  protein  (meat),  too  much  carbo- 
hydrates (sugar),  and  a  lack  of 
minerals  as  calcium,  iron,  iodine,  etc., 
are  injurious  to  health.  Poor  teeth 
are  primarily  due  to  malnutrition,  say 
experts  in  dental  nutrition. 

The  purpose  of  the  above  writing 
is  to  call  attention  to  the  important 
fact  that  to  observe  the  Word  of  Wis- 
dom, much  more  is  required  than 
merely  to  abstain  from  the  use  of 
narcotics.  This  document  is  concerned 
with  health,  and  outlines  the  condi- 
tions that  must  be  maintained  if  health 
is  to  ensue.  At  the  time  that  revela- 
tion was  given  to  the  Prophet  Joseph 
Smith,  the  scientific  world  had  little 
actual  knowledge  of  the  relation  of 
food  to  health.  But  in  recent  times 
an  immense  amount  of  scientific  re- 
search work  has  been  done  in  this 
field,  resulting  in  the  discovery  of  a 
large  body  of  facts,  confirmatory  of  the 
Word  of  Wisdom,  and  indicative  of 
the  dependence  of  health  upon  food. 
But  the  science  of  nutrition  is  still 
young;  however  it  is  growing  rapidly. 
It  well  becomes  all  normal  people  to 
keep  in  touch  with  its  teachings  inso- 
far as  it  is  feasible  for  laymen  to  do 
so. 

Yet  a  word  of  caution  is  needed. 
There  is  much  that  is  faddish  in  this 
field.  Many  books  and  magazine 
articles  written  by  food  faddists  are 
on  the  market.  It  is  well  for  the  lay- 
man to  take  care  that  his  reading  in 
the  field  of  nutrition  be  of  literature 
written  by  those  who  are  rated  as 
authorities  or  their  followers.     There 


is  much  propaganda  in  this  field,  as 
in  other  fields,  inspired  by  profit  and 
other  selfish  motives. 

But  how  may  the  layman  know  what 
is  faddish  and  otherwise?  The  answer 
is:  he  may  learn  by  asking.  In  nearly 
all  the  colleges  and  universities  of  the 
land  there  are  departments  of  home 
economics  in  which  the  relation  of 
foods  and  health  is  taught.  Informa- 
tion relative  to  pertinent  books  and 
other  literature  may  be  obtained  from 
these  departments  for  the  asking. 
There  are  a  considerable  number  of 
good  books  written  for  laymen,  among 
which  are  The  Newer  Knowledge  of 
Nutrition  by  Drs.  McCollum  &  Sim- 
mons, ( the  layman's  edition  came  from 
the  press  more  than  twenty  years  ago) , 
and  How  to  Live,  by  Drs.  Fisher  & 
Fisk — the  more  recent  editions  by 
Fisher  and  Emerson. 

The  Word  of  Wisdom,  we  re- 
peat, is  commonly  spoken  of  as  the 
Lord's  law  of  health.  It  certainly  in- 
dicates conditions  that  must  be  satis- 
fied if  health  is  continued.  Food  is 
an  extremely  important  factor  affect- 
ing health.  The  spirit  of  the  Word  of 
Wisdom  is  marred  when  anything  is 
done  injurious  to  health.  A  "balanced 
diet"  is  requisite  for  continued  good 
health.  Reason  and  logic,  as  well  as 
revelation,  impose  the  obligation  to 
maintain  health,  and  therefore  to 
develop  health  habits  which  include 
eating  balanced  diets — something  of 
which  many  people  have  heard,  but 
all  too  few  people  do  much  about. 
Give  the  children  plenty  of  milk, 
cereals,  vegetables,  and  fruits,  and 
but  very  few  candy  bars. 


THE  FORT  ON  THE  FIRING  LINE 


{Continued  from  page  220) 
"Do  you  rob  your  friends?"  he 
asked,  in  genial  tones  of  familiar 
confidence,  for  Haskell  knew  the 
language  of  the  natives  as  well  as 
they  knew  it  themselves.  He  knew 
them  better  than  they  knew  each 
other. 

"We  are  your  friends,"  he  went 
on.  "We  have  come  a  long  way  to 
sit  down  by  you  and  help  you.  Why 
do  you  reward  us  evil  for  good  by 
stealing  our  horses  and  cattle?" 

Some  of  them  protested  their  in- 
nocence; some  of  them  laughed 
mockingly. 

"If  you  steal  from  us,  you  will 
die,"  Haskell  declared,  solemnly. 
"Remember  what  I  tell  you." 

But  those  who  had  been  stealing, 
stole  again  as  industriously  as  be- 


240 


fore.  Frank  specialized  in  the  bus- 
iness, in  spite  of  Jim  Joe,  Tom  Holi- 
day, and  other  big  souls  who  were 
in  sympathy  with  Haskell  and  his 
people.  They  could  remember  the 
terrible  corral  at  Bosque  Redondo, 
half  a  generation  before.  Yet  in 
these  strange  white  people  of  the 
fort  they  had  discovered  something 
surprisingly  different:  the  unusual 
lure  of  love,  the  winning  of  entreaty, 
the  absence  of  threats  to  employ 
force. 

But  the  oldest  brave  among  the 
Piutes  had  never  heard  of  his  peo- 
ple being  corralled  or  of  being 
brought  back  from  the  rocks  where 
they  fled  redhanded  with  scalps  and 
plunder.  They  had  never  known  a 
Bosque  Redondo;    they  had  never 

{Continued  on  page  242) 
THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


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242 


The  Fort  On  The  Firing  Line 

(Continued  from  page  240) 
been  punished  in  any  way  for  their 
boldest  outrage  against  human 
rights.  They  had  always  been  su- 
preme— they  were  still  supreme. 
They  mocked  at  Haskell  and  helped 
themselves  with  impudent  banter. 

"V^et  there  were  exceptions,  even 
among  these  insolent  Piutes. 
They  cannot  all  be  named  here,  but 
it  would  be  unfair  to  overlook  a 
certain  slender  youth  in  his  early 
teens,  a  boy  known  as  Henry,  who 
caught  the  charm  of  Haskell's  fer- 
vent words  and  was  a  true  friend 
to  Haskell  and  his  people  then,  and 
through  all  the  changing  scenes  of 
the  years. 

Erastus  Snow's  counsel  to  stay 
together  met  with  willing  response; 
it  was  what  the  people  wanted  to 
do,  what  they  had  been  doing,  and 
yet  a  solitary  deviation  from  that 
rule  was  destined  in  a  few  years  to 
result  disastrously  and  imperil  the 
life  of  the  mission.  For  the  present, 
however  when  they  rode  the  range 
or  followed  the  long,  winding 
freight  road,  it  was  in  numbers  of 
two  or  more,  and  vigilance  became 
a  habit  even  while  they  slept.  They 
had  to  unite  on  their  ditch,  their 
buildings,  and  all  their  enterprises, 
whether  in  and  around  the  fort  or 
distantly  beyond  it.  They  could  not 
fence  their  fields  separately  but  in 
a  community  enclosure.  The  passion 
for  individual  gain  was  lost  in  con- 
cern for  the  general  good.  When 
they  planned  a  store,  it  had  to  be  a 
cooperative  institution:  The  San 
Juan  Co-op,  known  as  such  with 
good  credit  for  thirty  years.  Their 
molasses  mill  and  all  their  machin- 
ery of  any  size  were  community 
property. 

Difficulty  and  danger  from  all 
around  compelled  them  to  unite  in 
one  harmonious  family,  living  in  one 
circular  house.  Bishop  Nielson.  the 
head  of  the  family,  counseled  them 
in  all  their  affairs,  helped  them  to 
make  their  decisions  and  adjust  their 
difficulties.  The  sorrow  of  one  was 
the  sorrow  of  all,  the  success  of  one 
the  joy  of  the  community.  They  had 
gay  parties  and  dramas  and  dances. 
Old  Brother  Cox  and  his  fiddle 
helped  to  amplify  the  chivalry  they 
had  evolved  at  Hole-in-the-Rock, 
and  it  became  more  chivalrous  with 
cultivation. 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


I 


T  is  not  to  be  implied  they  indulged 
any  foolish  sense  of  security 
because  of  the  log  walls  around 
them;  that  frail  barrier  of  twisted 
logs  and  gaping  chinks  filled  in  with 
scraps  and  daubed  over  with  mud 
was  no  more  than  a  rabbit's  frail 
hutch  which  could  be  easily 
crushed.  However,  they  enjoyed  a 
sweet  security,  and  in  ordinary 
times  they  slept  in  peace. 

They  believed  they  had  been 
divinely  guided  to  this  strategic  lo- 
cation for  the  sake  of  their  impor- 
tant assignment.  A  wise  Providence 
was  delaying  the  day  of  their 
prosperity  till  they  had  established 
themselves  in  the  hearts  of  most  of 
their  enemies.  Their  foundation 
stock  of  horses  and  cattle  which 
should  have  increased  and  given 
them  a  claim  to  the  range,  had  been 
reduced  to  a  sorry  trickle,  and  the 
range  had  been  claimed  by  the  big 
herds  from  Colorado.  They  were 
crowded  out  from  the  most  profit- 
able areas  of  the  country  they  had 
come  to  inherit. 

But  the  most  stubborn  adversary 
with  which  they  had  to  contend,  it 
might  even  be  classed  as  enemy 
number  four,  was  the  San  Juan  Riv- 
er, implacable,  unconquerable,  on 
whose  sand  they  had  built  their  fort. 
That  restless,  roaring,  moaning, 
gnawing  old  river  had  raged  back 
and  forth  from  cliff  to  cliff  in  that 
valley  from  the  dim  ages  of  antiq- 
uity with  never  a  challenge  from 
any  source.  It  had  been  undisputed 
proprietor  of  the  sand  along  its 
banks;  it  had  ground  that  sand  fine 
in  its  own  mill  and  laid  it  down  on 
one  side  or  the  other  of  its  right-of- 
way  while  it  took  an  excursion  to 
the  other  side.  It  would  of  course 
come  back,  and  anyone  found  squat- 
ting on  its  property  would  be  duly 
evicted. 

That  long  ditch  the  people  had 
made  by  their  hard  toil  in  what  they 
trusted  to  be  good  old  terra  firma, 
the  fields  they  had  plowed  and 
fenced  and  planted — in  all  this  they 
were  trespassers;  that  sand  be- 
longed to  the  river.  The  river  made 
frequent  demonstrations  of  how,  in 
a  few  short  hours,  it  could  gather 
up  its  deposits  and  carry  them  away 
to  occupy  the  place  where  they  had 
been. 

At  any  unexpected  hour,  morning, 
noon,  or  night,  behold,  the  ditch  was 

(Continued  on  page  244) 
APRIL  1949 


ff 


HERE'S  ANOTHER  NEW  OUTSTANDING 
VOLUME  JUST  OFF   THE  PRESS! 

GEMS  OF  THOUGHT 

Compiled  and  Edited  by  DR.  MILTON  R.  HUNTER 

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244 


The  Fort  On  The  Firing  Line 

(Continued  from  page  243) 
empty,  and  following  up  its  bank 

they  found  the  river  rippling  gaily 
where  the  ditch  had  been  a  little 
while  before.  After  the  first  year 
they  discarded  as  worthless  all  the 
stock  they  had  worked  up  in  the 
ditch,  and  began  again  exactly  as  if 
there  had  been  no  ditch  at  all.  The 
loss  was  distressing  to  contemplate, 
yet  they  were  destined  to  discard 
the  stock  in  that  ditch  again,  and 
still  again  after  tweny  years.  They 
had  saved  seven  hundred  acres 
from  the  ravages  of  the  river,  and 
when  the  cost  of  their  discarded 
ditch  was  divided  by  that  number, 
it  showed  a  tremendously  high  cost 
for  water  and  little  to  show  for  it. 

Disappointment,  loss,  humiliation, 
and  poverty  continued  as  the  stern 
schoolmaster  teaching  ethics  of  the 
new  warfare  to  the  people  of  the 
fort.  It  was  borne  in  upon  them  that 
Bluff  was  not  essentially  an  enter- 
prise, but  a  mission;  not  a  project 
for  making  gain,  but  for  making 
sacrifice.  It  was  generating  in  them 
the  kind  of  gratitude  which,  when  at 
length  it  saw  their  accounts  crawl- 
ing slowly  up  from  destitution, 
would  give  special  thanks  and  pay 
extra  tithing. 

(  To  be  continued ) 


Salt  lake  Valley  Branch 
for  the  Deaf 

(Continued  from  page  215) 
with  Elder  Widtsoe  in  charge. 
Other  members  of  the  committee 
present  were:  Holger  M.  Larson, 
Hugo  Peterson,  Arnt  Engh,  Thomas 
Clarke,  Frank  I,  Kooyman,  and 
Lloyd  O.  Ivie.  Also  present  was 
Max  W.  Woodbury,  president  of 
the  Ogden  Branch  for  the  Deaf. 
Brother  Willard  E.  Barlow,  long  as- 
sociated with  the  deaf,  was  ap- 
pointed and  sustained  as  presiding 
elder,  with  L.  Elgin  Jacobson  and 
E.  Ross  Thurston  as  counselors. 
Ferdinand  T.  Billeter  is  the  clerk. 
Grant  R.  Morgan  was  sustained  as 
superintendent  of  the  Sunday 
School,  with  J.  Phil  Thornton  and 
Wayne  E.  Stewart  as  assistants, 
and  Launcelott  L.  Edwards,  sec- 
retary. 

In  the  M.I. A.  auxiliaries,  Don  C. 
facobs  was  chosen  superintendent  of 
the  Y.M.M.I.A.,  with  Rodney  W. 
Walker  and  Bruce  M.  Eyre,  as- 
sistants;    Frank    Monk,    secretary; 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


Georgie  Mae  Stewart,  president, 
Y.W.M.I. A.,  with  Helen  W.  Thurs- 
ton and  Ardell  Booth  Patterson, 
counselors,  and  Myrtle  J.  Shoemak- 
er, secretary.  The  Relief  Society  is 
headed  by  Gladys  M.  Hind,  presi- 
dent; Elsie  Preece,  first  counselor, 
Catherine  J.  Morgan,  second  coun- 
selor, and  Edna  W.  Glenn,  sec- 
retary. 

The  interpreters  chosen  and  sus- 
tained are  Eva  Prudence  Fowler 
and  Eula  R.  Pusey. 

•"Phe  first  convert  to  the  Church  in 
the  new  branch  was  Sister  Thel- 
ma  Dennis  North,  who  was  bap- 
tized, December  2,  1948.  The  date, 
incidentally,  was  also  Brother 
North's  birth  anniversary.  Sister 
North  was  born  in  Pawnee,  Okla- 
homa, and  before  coming  to  Utah, 
resided  in  Los  Angeles,  California. 
The  first  baby  blessed  in  the  branch 
was  little  John  Orson  Despain,  son 
of  Brother  and  Sister  Guy  O. 
Despain,  whose  name  and  blessing 
were  bestowed  by  his  father  on 
Sunday,  December  5,  1948. 

The  deaf  of  Salt  Lake  Valley 
can  now  look  forward  to  enjoying 
well-planned  meetings  and  confer- 
ences, as  well  as  dancing,  motion  pic- 
ture shows,  and  other  social  activi- 
ties. In  times  past,  whenever  the 
deaf  wanted  to  give  parties  of  any 
nature,  they  had  to  hunt  up  a  suit- 
able hall,  and  ofttimes  have  been 
disappointed  in  not  finding  any 
available,  or  if  they  did  succeed  in 
booking  a  place,  they  were  further 
disappointed  by  last-minute  can- 
cellations of  the  hall. 

Now,  as  never  before,  the  teach- 
ing of  the  gospel  to  the  deaf  of 
Salt  Lake  Valley  can  continue  on 
an  even  broader  scale,  with  all  the 
auxiliaries  included  which  were 
formerly  lacking.  (See  "Teaching 
the  Deaf,"  p.  24,  The  Improve- 
ment Era,  January  1946.)  There 
is  a  great  deal  of  missionary  work 
to  be  done,  and  to  show  their  ap- 
preciation to  the  General  Authori- 
ties of  the  Church  for  granting  per- 
mission to,  and  aiding  financially  in 
the  building  of  this  new  chapel,  the 
deaf  are  ready  to  work  as  they  have 
never  worked  before  in  helping  to 
build  up  the  Lord's  kingdom,  and 
to  spread  the  gospel  to  their  kindred 
deaf. 

And  in  that  day  shall  the  deaf  hear  the 
words  of  the  book.  .  .  .  (Isa.  29:18.) 

And  the  gospel  of  the  kingdom  shall  be 
preached  in  all  the  world  for  a  witness 
unto  all  nations.  .  .  .  (Matt.  24:14.* 

APRIL  1949 


Mormon  Architecture 


Edited  by  Joseph  H.   Weston 

Photographs  of  some  of  the  most  beautiful  buildings 
of  the  L.D.S.  Church  have  been  gathered  together  for  the 
first  time  and  made  available  to  everyone  in  a  fine  book,  9 
inches  by  12  inches,  bound  in  boards  and  heavy  maroon 
fabricoid.  Contains  103  pictures,  including  all  ten  temples 
that  have  been  built,  many  tabernacles,  chapels,  ~  aq 
and  other  outstanding  examples  of  beautiful 
L.D.S.  architecture.  A  handsome  addition  to 
any  personal  or  ward  library. 


6 


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THE  TEMPLES 
IN  PICTURES 

A  matched  set  of  fine  engravings 
of  all  eight  present-day  temples, 
reproduced  from  dramatic  photos 
made  by  noted  photographers. 
Mounted  on  white  matboards  10 
inches  by  15  inches,  ready  to  hang 
on  walls  of  home,  office,  Relief  So- 
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Primary.  These  temple  pictures 
have  sold  very  rapidly  since  we  first 
announced  them  a  few  weeks  ago. 
If  ordering  only  one  or  two,  specify 
name  of  temple  desired.  They  are : 
Cardston,  Idaho  Falls,  Logan,  Salt 
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Hawaiian.  The  entire  set  costs  five  dol- 
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these  amazing  mormons 

by  Joseph  H.   Weston 


yj 


A  newspaperman's  straightforward  description  of  the 
Mormon  people  and  the  L.D.S.  Church.    Several  thousand 
Saints  have  found  this  book  to  be  an  excellent  way  to  an- 
swer the  many  questions  of  their  non-Mormon  friends,  and 
several  missions  are  using  it  as  an  efficient  gospel-     m  QQ 
spreading  tool.    Size  &y2  x  11  inches,  paper  bound, 
and  priced  low  enough  that  you  can  afford  to  give 
it  away  or  lend  it  to  an  investigator.  Postpaid 


WHERE  DO  IDEAS  COME  FROM? 

A  philosophical  essay  by  the  author  of  "These  Amazing 
Mormons!"  This  little  booklet  will  renew  your  faith  in 
God.    Priced  at  FIFTY  CENTS,  postpaid. 

DISCOUNT 

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in  any  crop  or  field  condition.  That's  why  the  famous 
No.  5  is  first  choice  of  farmers  from  Maine  to  Cali- 
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The  John  Deere  No.  5  is  an  easy-on,  easy-off 
mower  that  works  with  any  tractor.  Its  hinged  hitch 
bar  and  caster  wheel  carriage  insure  flexibility  for 
cleaner  cutting  and  easier  steering. 

Cutting  parts  are  of  highest-quality  materials. 
Simple  adjustments  add  years  of  like-new  perform- 
ance. A  safety  spring  release  for  the  cutter  bar,  and 
a  slip  clutch  on  the  power  shaft  safeguard  against 
breakage. 

Remember,  the  No.  5  has  been  copied  by  many 
but  equalled  by  none.  See  your  John  Deere  dealer  or 
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"A  man  with  a  good  job. 
steady  income  and  plenty 
of  security  for  his  family 
will  in  most  cases  be  a 
good  citizen  with  faith  in 
America  and  in  God.  My 
job  in  the  mines  has  given 
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THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


M  Men  Basketball  1948-49 

(Concluded  from  page  205) 
West  Stake,  50-31;  from  Logan 
Fifth,  East  Cache  Stake,  49-42;  and 
from  Edgehill,  Hillside  Stake,  40- 
37.  The  second  place  winners 
turned  back  Aurora,  North  Sevier 
Stake,  48-38;  Taylorsville,  North 
Jordan  Stake,  42-31 ,  and  Twenty- 
Sixth  Ward,  Pioneer  Stake,  57-48. 

pOLLOWiNG  Maywood  and  Field- 
ing in  final  tournament  standings, 

were: 

Edgehill,  Hillside  Stake,  third;  Manavu, 
Provo  Stake,  fourth;  Lewisville,  Rigby 
(Idaho)  Stake,  fifth  place  and  consolation 
champions;  Twenty-sixth  Ward,  Pioneer 
Stake,  sixth;  Springville  Second,  Kolob 
Stake,  seventh  place;  and  Aurora  Ward, 
North  Sevier  Stake,  eighth. 

Other  teams  participating  in  the 
tournament  were: 

College  Ward,  Cedar  Stake;  Gilbert, 
Mesa  (Arizona)  Stake;  Randolph,  Wood- 
ruff Stake;  Gridley,  Gridley  (California), 
Stake,  and  Nyssa  First,  Weiser  (Oregon- 
Idaho)  Stake. 

To  Manavu  went  the  sportsman- 
ship trophy,  which  is  held  by  a  win- 
ning team  for  one  year,  and  is 
presented  by  the  general  superin- 
tendency  of  the  Y.M.M.I.A.,  and  is 
considered  by  many  to  be  the  most 
desirable  award  given  at  the  meet. 

As  an  innovation  this  year,  a 
trophy  was  presented  to  the  second 
place  team,  and  wristwatches  were 
presented  to  nine  individual  players 
whose  tournament  play  was  par- 
ticularly outstanding.  Chad  Ger- 
maine,  Verl  Coombs,  LaVar  Rueck- 
ert,  and  Don  Peterson  received 
watches  for  outstanding  individual 
performances  on  single  days  of  the 
meet. 

Brothers  Richard  and  Merwin 
Waite  of  Maywood,  along  with 
Vernon  Coombs  of  Fielding,  Sperry 
Reuckert  of  Twenty-sixth,  and  Rol- 
lie  Williams  of  Edgehill  were  se- 
lected as  the  official  all-Church  hon- 
or team. 


i   o   ■ 


246 


On  the  Bookraek 

(Concluded  from  page  223) 
human  endeavor.  The  author's  analyses 
of  the  American,  French,  and  the  Negro 
revolutions  are  thought-provoking.  His 
biographical  sketch  of  Miranda  is  also 
exceptional.  Above  every  other  quali- 
ty the  author  possesses — aad  he  pos- 
esses  many — he  is  a  linguist  whose  use 
of  language  delights  the  eye  and  the 
ear.— M.  C.J. 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


FOOD,  HUNGER,  AND  PEOPLE 

(Continued  from  page  217)  products.     Not    only    is    increased 
.(c)    From  starchy  fruits,  roots,  and  tu-  WOrld  production  of  over  one  lum- 
bers  approximately  100-200  calories.  dred  percent  or  morc  required,  but 

(d)  Probably  reduce  sugar  consumption  ,  *  ,     .  .                            .,,    , 

in   many   national   diets;    otherwise   main-  most  of   this   increase  will   have  to 

tain  level  of  current  consumption.  come  locally   throughout  the  world 

(e)  A  minimum  of  100  calories  in  fats;  because  of  the  perishable  nature  of 
150-200  where  relation  to  cereals  and  tnese  products,  qualitatively  and 
starchy  foods  indicates.  quantitatively.   Sir  John  Boyd  Orr's 

(f)  Some   200-300   calories   in   legumes,  \  t            . 
especially  important  for  their  proteins,  but  Statement, 
again  to  be  watched  in  terms  of  relation 

to  starchy  foods  and  meats.  The  degree  to  which  a  country  suffers 

(g)  At  least  100  calories  a  day  from  frora  overpopulation  depends  on  the  extent 
fruits  and  vegetables  exclusive  of  the  to  which  its  people  are  fully  and  produc- 
starchy  variety;    with  emphasis  on  vitamin  tively  employed,  .  .  . 

C  sources,  yellows,  and  leafy  greens. 

(h)  Some    100    calories    a    day    from  carries  more  meanings  than  one. 

meats,  poultry,  fish,  eggs,  with  150-200  as  What    is    needed    to    hit    these 

a  better  target  targets?    One  FAO  report  puts  it 

(i)   Some  300-400  calories  from  milk  and  .. 

milk  products.  thls  waV: 

Can    the   world    produce    food   in  The  limiting   factor  is  not  the  physical 

such  quantity  and  quality  for  over  capacity  to  produce  enough  food  but  the 

two  billion  people?    Can  we  main-  "***»  °^  nations  j°  brin9  about  the  com' 

...                       .  plex    economic    adjustments    necessary    to 

tain    production    in    proportion    as  make  adequate  producfion  and  distribution 

population  doubles?    The  table  be-  possible. 

low   will    repay    careful    study.     It 

shows    the    greatly   increased   pro-  For  example,  most  of  the  billion 

duction   over  prewar  supplies  that  people  now  undernourished  occupy 

are  required  to  meet  these  nutrition-  small  holdings  under  ancient  land 

al  targets  in  1950.  tenure  and  agricultural  systems  that 

To    meet    world    food    needs    in  have  not  changed  in  two  thousand 

1960,  assuming  a  twenty-five  per-  years  or  more.    Can  these  ancient 

cent  increase  in  world  population,  property  rights,  customs,  practices, 

the  approximate  percentage  increase  be  adjusted?    Sir  John  Boyd  Orr's 

in   world   production  over   prewar,  report    as    director-general    to    the 

necessary    to    meet    the    nutritional  FAO  Conference  suggests  the  fol- 

targets,  will  be:  lowing    international    and    national 

approaches: 

Rootfand""tub7rs'".IZi:™  27%  L  Improvements   in  [arming  e/- 

Sugar   12%  ficiency.   Not  every  land  has  its  ag- 

Fats  34%  ricultural   college   system,    with   its 

Legumes  80%  experiment     stations     and     county 

Fruits  and  vegetables 163%  agents.     Scientific   agricultural   and 

Meat    46%  a.,                      ..             a   .,           .      ,     , 

M^                                  2000/  soil  conservation  practices,  includ- 
ing judicious  use  of  fertilizers,  crop 

'J'he    most    difficult    objectives    in  practices,  including  variety  and  rota- 

this  strategic  list  are  probably  tion,   pest  and  insect  control,   new 

fruits  and  vegetables,  milk  and  milk  (Continued  on  page  248) 

Nutritional  Targets:    Percentage  increase   (or  decrease)   of  supply  over  prewar 
production  to  meet  nutritional  targets  of  FAO  in  1950. 

United  Southeast             South 

Product                                           U.S.A.             Kingdom  Europe            America*           China                India 

Cereals  4%           —2.5%  —3%             70%              15%             39% 

Starchy  fruits, 

roots,   tubers  ....         8.7%            6%  26%             22%             66%           103% 

Sugar  —12.6%     —13%  10%            49%             15%            25% 

Fats    0.4%           0  31%            65%            58%          113% 

Legumes  6.6%       —5%  93%            70%            59%            84% 

Fruits  and 

vegetables   48.6%         70.5  78%            73%          327%          330% 

Meat,  poultry, 

fish,  eggs  17.6%           6.5  11%           59%            45%          305% 

Milk  and  milk 

products  55.6%         57.5%  77%          184%       5,650%            60% 

*Does  not  Include  Argentina,   Uruguay.   Chile. 

Source:     Food  and  Agricultural  organization  of  the  United  Nations,  First  Annual  Report  of  the  Director 

General  to  the  FAO  Conference,  Washington:     July  5,  1946,  pp.   15-17. 

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248 


(Continued  from  page  247) 
tools  and  machinery,  are  universally 
urged  by  FAO.  There  are  some 
real  business  opportunities  involved 
in  these  recommendations  if  any 
bright  young  men  reading  these 
pages  want  to  establish  a  fortune 
or  two,  and  at  the  same  time  pro- 
vide their  brethren  with  thousands  of 
jobs  and  millions  of  tons  of  food  in 
doing  so.  For  example,  China  and 
India  need  twenty  times  the  nitro- 
gen, phosphate,  potash,  and  other 
fertilizers  now  being  used.  If  any 
reader  of  these  pages  can  produce 
and  ship  any  part  of  this  twenty- 
fold  increase,  per  annum,  in  the 
next  generation,  he  will  not  have  to 
worry  about  his  social  security  at 
age  sixty-five. 

2.  Development  and  Use  of  Land. 
Only  seven  percent  of  the  surface 
of  the  globe  is  under  cultivation. 
This  is  about  one-half  acre  for  each 
person.  If  anyone  needs  further 
demonstration  that  "Zion  is  in 
America"  as  Joseph  Smith  taught, 
there  is  evidence  here.  In  the  U.S.A. 
there  are  four  cultivated  acres  a 
person  (that's  why  we  eat  well,  i.e., 
the  two-thirds  of  us  that  do  eat 
well — quantitively).  Next  comes 
the  U.S.S.R.  with  two  acres  a  per- 
son under  cultivation  (but  not  as 
good  acres  in  many  regions ) .  South 
America  averages  about  1.5  acres 
for  each  person;  Western  Europe 
.7  of  an  acre;  Eastern  Asia  .5  of  an 
acre.  More  of  the  ninety-three  per- 
cent of  the  earth's  surface  remain- 
ing can  be  brought  under  cultiva- 
tion. But  it  will  require  different 
methods  from  those  now  in  use- 
new  capital — and  even  in  Utah,  in 
the  U.S.A.,  this  is  extremely  hard 
to  get,  even  for  irrigation  and  drain- 
age projects.  If  malarial  mosquitoes 
and  the  deadly  tsetse  fly  could  be 
controlled,  new  lands  and  areas 
would  open  to  teeming  mankind. 
Perhaps  some  reader  of  these  pages 
will  prefer  a  scientific  education 
and  the  conquest  of  the  tsetse  fly 
to  the  fertilizer  business,  and  so 
serve  his  generation.  Not  only  is 
new  land  important,  but  the  rec- 
lamation of  the  millions  of  acres 
that  men  have  destroyed  and  ren- 
dered useless  must  be  accomplished. 
We  have  ruined  282,000,000  acres 
in  the  United  States  alone;  stripped 
up  to  seventy-five  percent  of  the 
topsoil  from  775,000,000  acres  more; 


and  until  recently  have  retired,  dis- 
honorably, 200,000  acres  of  ruined 
land  from  cultivation  every  year. 
Not  every  nation,  of  course,  could 
ever  afford  the  profligacy  of  the 
richly  endowed  United  States! 

3.  Economic  and  Social  Changes. 
New  land  tenure  systems  must  be 
developed  throughout  the  world. 
Studies  of  the  Utah  State  Agricul- 
tural College  Experiment  Station 
show  that  even  in  Utah,  our  land 
tenure  system  after  a  brief  century, 
shows  signs  of  becoming  archaic, 
with  most  of  the  units  being  far  too 
small  for  economic  farm  manage- 
ment. Machinery  and  tools  cost 
money.  Farmers  throughout  the 
world  will  need  new  forms  of  credit 
to  buy  tractors,  combines,  and  other 
machinery.  The  farmers  of  China, 
unlike  the  farmers  of  Iowa,  do  not 
ride  around  in  Cadillacs  and  Chrys- 
lers. And  it  is  hard  enough  for 
farmers  in  Iowa  to  buy  tractors 
most  of  the  time.  Farm  prices  are 
an  eternal  problem  in  an  industrial 
age  because  of  the  difficulty  of  the 
individual  farmer  in  meeting,  organ- 
izing, and  controlling  the  market. 
Finally,  those  of  us  who  eat  food 
must  not  only  have  purchasing  pow- 
er to  buy  it,  but  also  have  wisdom 
in  its  consumption  and  purchase. 
Sir  John  Boyd  Orr  says, 

.  .  .  for  the  world  as  a  whole  it  can  be 
said,  "Tell  me  what  you  earn,  and  I  will 
tell  you  what  you  eat." 

The  Word  of  Wisdom,  in  addi- 
tion, would  be  a  valuable  asset  to 
any  housewife's  family  as  well  as 
to  her  income. 

4.  Increase  individual  productivi- 
ty. To  increase  wealth,  food,  and 
services  available,  we  must  all  in- 
crease our  productivity.  Education, 
supported  by  religious  morality,  is 
the  greatest  single  force  and  device 
for  accomplishing  this  result.  Edu- 
cation, in  this  sense,  may  hold  the 
answer  to  the  world's  problem  of 
population,  food,  and  hunger.  Yet 
even  in  the  United  States,  how  dif- 
ficult it  is  to  secure  an  adequate 
school  budget!  And  if  a  university 
or  college  president  were  to  ask  a 
legislature  for  a  few  additional  dol- 
lars for  research,  many  people 
would  growl  about  "modern  frills" 
and  refuse  to  be  convinced.  How 
difficult,  then,  will  be  the  task  of  in- 
creasing the  individual  productivity 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


of  the  populations  of  Asia?  Mean- 
while, fifty  thousand  stomachs  net 
are  being  added  to  the  world  every 
day. 

The  restored  Church,  in  its  Amer- 
ican role,  has  played  a  singularly 
useful  role  in  meeting  the  basic 
problems  connected  with  popula- 
tion, food,  and  hunger.  The  story 
of  American  irrigation,  reclamation, 
dry-farming,  pioneered  extensively 
by  Mormon  pioneer  farmers — and 
let  it  never  be  forgotten,  by  Mor- 
mon schoolteachers  and  scientists 
like  J.  M.  Tanner,  James  E.  Tal- 
mage,  John  A.  Widtsoe,  F.  S.  Har- 
ris, William  Peterson,  E,  G.  Peter- 
son, R,  J.  Evans,  Thomas  L.  Mar- 
tin, Willard  Gardner,  Joseph  E. 
Greaves,  and  many  others — has 
come  to  have  real  world  signifi- 
cance. Joseph  Smith's  plat  for  the 
city  of  Zion  was  unique  in  helping 
establish  civilization  in  an  open, 
barren,  western  country.  Now  that 
that  area,  together  with  the  world, 
has  industrialized  and  urbanized, 
our  generation  must  face  the  prob- 
lems of  the  future  with  similar  dar- 
ing, genius,  inventiveness,  courage, 
and  enterprise. 


VMMimmmZ 


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<       *>  v  \ 


"OB  the  Record" 

(Continued  from  page  209) 

you  will  probably  guard  your  at- 
titude, steering  clear  from  anything 
which  could  be  interpreted  as  a 
"holier-than-thou"  point  of  view.  If 
the  conversation  is  "average,"  you 
will  probably  join  good-naturedly 
in  the  give  and  take  of  ideas  which 
is  the  inevitable  result  of  a  really 
sincere  attempt  to  achieve  convic- 
tions. If  the  conversation  begins  to 
get  far  afield,  you  will  probably  laugh 
your  friends  out  of  their  questionable 
wandering — if  you  know  how.  Or 
you  may  try  to  turn  them  back  with 
some  such  casual  remark  as  "my 
thinking  is  a  little  different  on  that 
point,"  or  "did  any  of  you  happen 
to  read  the  article  on  sportsmanship 
in  last  night's  paper?"  or  "have  any 
of  you  heard  from  Bill  lately — I 
wonder  how  he's  getting  along  on 
his  mission?"  Just  as  one  misguided 
comment  can  throw  a  whole  con- 
versation off  the  rails,  so  one  well- 
chosen  phrase  can  sometimes  set  it 
right  again. 

If  you  don't  succeed  in  this  strat- 
egy— and    sometimes    you    don't — 
you  can  always  become  very  quiet 
(Continued  on  page  250) 

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249 


COLOR  FILM  SLIDES  OF 

Book  of  Mormon  Cities  of 
Mexico  and  Central  America 

I  have  been  asked  many  times  in 
the  past  by  various  Church  organi- 
zations and  Missions  for  copies  of 
my  colored  slides  I  took  on  my  trips 
through  Mexico  and  Central  Amer- 
ica, gathering  material  and  pictures 
for  my  three  books  .  .  .  "Grandeur 
of  Ancient  America,"  "Buried  Em- 
pires of  South  America,"  and  "The 
Americas  Before  Columbus." 

So  I  have  chosen  fifty  of  the  outstanding 
scenes,  which  to  me  are  proofs  of  the  Book 
of  Mormon  Story. 

These  scenes  showing  some  of  the  great 
structures,  cement  works,  pyramids  and 
metals,  etc.;  taken  from  the  following  an- 
cient cities  .  .  .  (with  modern  archaeo- 
logical names.) 
TULA    (where   tradition   says  that   Christ 

appeared  unto  this  people) 
TEOTIHUACAN  (the  great  pyramid  city) 
CHOLULA    (the   largest   pyramid   in   the 

world) 
CITY  UNDER  MEXICO   CITY 
MONTE  ALBAN  (where  1017  Tombs  have 

been  found) 
MITLA  (called  the  city  of  Tombs) 
CHICHEN-ITZA  (The  city  of  which  Willard 

said  had  seen  two  empires  rise,  reach 

a  golden  age  and  perish.) 
UXMAL  (one  of  the  most  beautiful  of  Pre- 

Maya  Cities) 
EABAH  (The  city  of  carved  stone  temples 

and  pyramids) 
LABNA  (The  city  of  arches) 
SAYIL  (The  city  where  the  great  apart- 
ment house  still  stands) 
COP  AN      (Where     the     ancient     people 

reached  their  highest  culture) 
QUIRIGUA    (Contemporaneous   with  Co- 
pan  where  writing  reached  its  highest 

stage) 
PALENQUE  (Second  largest  of  the  ancient 

known  cities  with  its  Christian  Cross) 
TIKAL  (Largest  of  the  ancient  cities — with 

hard-surfaced  roads) 

Fifty  Duplicate  Slides  for  $25 

A  short   written  description  of   each   slide  will 

be  included. 
For  slides  write  direct  to  .  .  . 

DEWEY  FARNSWORTH 

4635   Montana   St.  El  Paso,   Texas 

(The  second  edition  of  "The  Americas  Beiore 
Columbus"  is  now  off  the  press.  It  can  be 
ordered  from  the  Deseret  Book  Store — Bookcraft 
or  from  me  direct.  If  an  autographed  copy  is 
desired   write   me   direct.) 


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250 


(Continued  from  page  249) 
and  hard  working.  You  can  become 
as  busy  as  a  little  squirrel — anxious 
to  get  through  because  you  have 
such  a  lot  to  do  at  home.  You  will 
probably  win  several  other  eager 
converts  to  the  job  at  hand,  and 
work  can  be  very  consoling  and  ab- 
sorbing. 

All  of  this  of  course  assumes  that 
you  like  this  group  and  want  to  stay 
with  them.  But  supposing  you  find 
yourself  among  young  people  who 
don't  mean  very  much  to  you — 
whose  conversation  is  distasteful 
and  whom  you  just  plain  don't  like 
— today,  yesterday,  tomorrow,  or 
any  other  time.  Occasionally  cour- 
tesy makes  demands  on  you,  and 
you  feel  that  you  must  stay;  then 
you  can  turn  a  deaf  ear  and  become 
guardedly  polite — nothing  more. 
And  this  need  happen  only  once; 
You  won't  go  again.  If  it's  too  bad 
for  even  one  evening,  you  can  al- 
ways become  suddenly  ill  —  you 
probably  are  anyway;  or  if  prin- 
ciples are  involved  and  you  really 
are  affronted,  be  affronted.  Even 
politeness  has  its  limitations. 

Well,  that's  a  long  first  thing  to 
say  to  Jean,  but  I  don't  want  her 
to  get  too  upset  by  such  an  evening. 
I  want  her  to  learn  how  to  handle 
it.  And  I  want  her  to  watch  and  see 
how  other  people  act  under  these 
difficulties  because  she  can  learn 
much  from  others  who  are  tactful, 
courteous,  tolerant — but  staunch  as 
staunch. 

HpHE  second  thought  I  would  like  to 
express  to  Jean  is:  While  we 
are  learning  to  handle  ourselves 
when  the  conversation  around  us 
bothers  us,  we  must  not  neglect  the 
obligation  to  learn  to  speak  well 
ourselves — and  I  don't  mean  merely 
the  mechanics.  Important  as  are 
grammar,  construction,  enunciation, 
and  voice,  the  most  important  ele- 
ments are  the  thought  and  spirit  of 
the  words — whether  they  work  to- 
wards good  or  evil.  As  surely  as 
we  live,  our  tongues  will  lead  us 
and  others  in  one  direction  or  the 
other  and  we  must  be  responsible 
for  every  word  we  utter. 

I  have  often  thought  that  if  a 
complete  phonographic  record  of 
every  word  we  had  ever  uttered 
were  to  be  played  back  to  us,  it 
might  prove  to  be  the  most  humiliat- 


ing of  experiences.  Every  idle  word, 
every  casual  remark,  every  cutting, 
angry  outburst,  every  half  truth  be- 
clouded with  implications,  every 
weak,  destructive  comment,  every 
vain  and  selfish  phrase,  every  in- 
sincerity. How  grateful  and  relieved 
we  would  be  if  all  these  were  bal- 
anced in  some  degree  by  the  kind, 
the  courageous,  the  sincere,  the  true, 
the  charitable,  the  meaningful,  the 
inspiring  words  which  we  had  some- 
how had  the  grace  to  speak.  Such  a 
record  would  probably  be  one  of 
the  truest  indexes  of  character  to  be 
found,  because  our  words  influence 
our  thoughts  and  actions  as  conclu- 
sively as  thought  and  actions  influ- 
ence our  words.  They  are  all  bound 
inseparably  together.  How  neces- 
sary it  is  that  we  learn  to  speak 
well. 

Some  young  people  learn  quick- 
ly, and  some  never  learn  aV  all, 
when  to  remain  quiet  and  when  to 
speak  up  courageously  and  con- 
fidently. Some  learn  quickly,  and 
some  never  learn  day  in  and  day  out 
when  they  can  safely  think  out  loud, 
testing  this  thinking  for  its  correct- 
ness against  the  trusted  and  true. 
Some  young  people  learn  quickly, 
and  some  never,  to  examine  their 
speech  by  the  truest  personal  meas- 
ure— is  this  what  I  really  believe 
when  I  am  in  my  right  mind  or  is  it 
what  I  lazily  produce  when  I  am 
tired,  dispirited  —  doubtful  of  the 
meaning  of  life?  These  are  all  im- 
portant phases  of  learning  to  talk. 

Learning  to  talk  has  always  been 
important.  Every  phase  of  living  is 
tied  up  with  speaking.  Of  all  living 
creatures,  only  man  made  in  the 
image  of  God,  was  given  the  power 
to  frame  speech.  Two  out  of  the 
Ten  Commandments  deal  with 
speech.  When  utter  chaos  de- 
scended upon  mankind,  it  was  ex- 
emplified in  the  confusion  of  speech 
at  the  Tower  of  Babel.  Peter  was 
identified  with  the  famous  words, 
"Thy  speech  bewrayeth  thee." 
Speech  has  always  had  great  sig- 
nificance and  the  power  to  build  or 
to  destroy. 

These  are  some  of  the  things  that 
I  would  say  to  Jean,  so  I  hope  she 
comes.  And  if  she  does,  I  hope  not 
only  that  I  will  be  able  to  speak 
clearly  and  sincerely  but  also  that  I 
will  be  able  to  listen  closely,  for 
Jean  has  good  things  to  say  and  an 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


engaging  way  of  saying  them.  Be- 
tween us  I  hope  that  we  shall  be 
able  to  work  out  a  sensible  point  of 
view  which  balances  each  one's  own 
solemn  obligation  to  try  to  speak 
wisely,  kindly,  and  courageously 
with  the  equally  sure  obligation  to 
take  some  of  the  conversational 
weaknesses  of  mankind  philosophi- 
cally. 

This  latter  should  not  be  too  hard 
since  all  share  these  weaknesses  in 
some  degree.  The  use  of  the  gift  of 
speech  must  be  learned  slowly  and 
patiently  and  painstakingly.  We 
must  all  practice  and  because  it  is 
practice  must  all  blunder  at  times. 
And  if  blame  is  to  be  laid  for  these 
blunders,  we  are  all  culpable. 

Jean,  however,  is  far  above  the 
average  when  it  comes  to  her  use  of 
speech.  I  have  never  heard  her  gos- 
sip. I  have  never  heard  her  tear 
down  faith.  Ihave  never  heard  her 
question  the  virtue  of  the  highest 
principles.  And  if  she,  herself,  failed 
at  times  to  measure  up  to  those  prin- 
ciples, I  have  never  heard  her  justify 
herself.  Her  brother  David  is  equal- 
ly wise.  I  cannot  imagine  him  pro- 
faning. I  am  quite  sure  an  unclean 
story  would  never  pass  his  lips — 
and  I  doubt  that  it  would  get  by 
his  ears.  They  both  exemplify  the 
verses  in  Proverbs: 

Hear;  for  I  will  speak  of  excellent  things; 
and  the  opening  of  my  lips  shall  be  right 
things. 

For  my  mouth  shall  speak  truth;  and 
wickedness  is  an  abomination  to  my  lips. 
(Proverbs  8:6-7.) 

Perhaps  these  verses  will  remind 
us  to  watch  our  speech  and  to  keep 
our  words  clean  and  vital — even 
those  that  are  said  casually — "off 
the  record." 


THE  DREAM 
By  Catherine  E.  Berry 

I  dusted  off  a  dream  today 
That  I   had   filed  away; 
It   shimmered    there   beneath    my    touch, 
A  dream  that  went  astray. 

A  fragile,  lovely  thing  to  see, 
As  all  dreams  sometimes  are; 
Oh,  once  it  drifted  with  the  moon, 
And   tried   to  reach  a  star. 

If   I   should   set   it   free   again, 
If   I    should    dream   once   more, 
Would  it  be  lost  and  dimmed  with  tears, 
Be  broken   as  before? 

The    thought    intrigues    my    heart,    and    I 
Will  let  it  go  today, 
Better  a  dream  that  won't  come  true 
Than  one  that's  locked  away! 

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THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


252 


THE  EDITOR'S  PAGE 


{ Concluded  from  page  201 ) 
and  Peter,  James,  and  John  con- 
ferred upon  him  the  Higher,  or  Mel- 
chizedek  Priesthood,  enabling  him 
to  officiate  in  all  the  ordinances  of 
the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ. 

It  was  through  faith  that  those 
men  who  accepted  him  as  their  lead- 
er were  able  to  withstand  the  as- 
saults of  the  evil  one.  They  were 
driven  from  place  to  place,  per- 
secuted and  abused;  but  many  of 
them  remained  true  to  the  end.  They 
knew  that  God  lived  and  that  his 
all-powerful  arm  would  be  extended 
for  their  salvation.  While  few  in 
number  in  the  midst  of  the  communi- 
ties in  which  they  lived,  they  knew 
that  the  power  of  the  heavens  would 
sustain  them  if  they  performed  their 
part;  and  that  the  power  of  evil 
would  be  unable  to  stay  the  on- 
ward progress  of  the  Church  that 
our  Father  had  again  established  on 
the  earth,  in  order  that  his  children 
might  be  saved. 

Since  then  many  thousands  of  the 
servants  of  the  Lord  have  traveled 
in  the  earth  proclaiming  the  truth  of 
the  gospel  of  our  Lord,  the  gospel 
of  peace,  the  only  panacea  for  the 
ills  of  mankind.  And  today  count- 
less thousands  of  the  favored  sons 
and  daughters  of  God  raise  their 
voices  in  thanksgiving  and  praise, 
for  the  faith  of  those  from  whom 
they  have  descended  who  dared  to 
seek  first  "the  kingdom  of  God  and 
his  righteousness,"  with  the  assur- 


ance that  all  things  necessary  would 
be  added. 

I  hope  that  those  who  have  re- 
ceived this  wonderful  gift  of  faith 
are  living  to  retain  it.  We  should 
bow  before  the  Lord  morning  and 
evening  and  from  the  depth  of  our 
souls  express  our  gratitude  to  our 
Heavenly  Father  for  our  faith. 

If  any  lack  faith,  it  is  because  he 
has  not  kept  the  commandments  of 
God.  Those  who  do  not  honor  the 
Sabbath  and  keep  it  holy,  displease 
him.  Some  people  appear  to  think 
that  if  they  have  attended  religious 
meetings  or  performed  some  por- 
tion of  the  service  required  of  them 
on  Sunday,  they  are  then  at  liberty 
to  pursue  pleasures  and  engage  in 
activities  that  are  incompatible  with 
the  spirit  of  the  Sabbath  and  still 
continue  to  enjoy  the  favor  of  our 
Father.  I  say  to  you  that  if  the 
members  of  the  Church,  knowing 
better,  persist  in  desecrating  the 
Sabbath  day  in  the  pursuit  of  world- 
ly pleasures,  they  will  lose  their 
faith;  and  the  Spirit  of  our  Heaven- 
ly Father  will  withdraw  from  them. 

In  my  visits  to  the  wards  and 
stakes  and  to  the  mission  fields  I 
have  rejoiced  in  the  development  of 
our  sons  and  daughters  and  in  the 
increase  in  their  faith  due  to  obe- 
dience to  the  will  of  the  Lord.  The 
path  of  faith,  the  path  of  humility 
and  obedience,  is  always  the  path  of 
safety  for  the  members  of  the 
Church. 


MISSION  TO  POLYNESIA 


(Continued  from  page  211 ) 
for  how  long  he  could  not  determine. 
But  when  no  pursuers  came  along, 
he  finally  decided  that  his  fear  of 
being  eaten  was  groundless. 

It  was  evening  of  the  third  day, 
the  time,  Captain  Worth  had  said, 
that  the  Rambler  would  sail.  So  Ad- 
dison decided  it  would  now  be  safe 
to  return  to  town  to  see  if  the  ship 
had  left.  In  the  valley  through  which 
he  had  to  pass  were  acres  of  faro 
patches.  Taro  is  a  plant  from  which 
the  natives  make  pot,  and  which  is 
planted  between  dirt  dikes  in 
mud,  with  water  up  to  a  foot  deep 
over  it,  in  much  the  same  manner  in 
which  rice  is  grown.  The  path  Ad- 
dison was  following  wound  around 
between  the  faro  patches  on  top  of 
the  dikes.    It  was   night  when  he 


reached  this  section  of  the  valley. 
A  darker  night  he  had  seldom  seen. 
To  add  to  the  confusion,  rain  was 
falling,  turning  the  dirt  on  the  dikes 
into  slippery  mud. 

As  if  he  hadn't  gone  through 
enough  the  past  three  days,  in  this 
rain,  mud,  and  darkness,  Addison 
missed  the  path  and  found  himself 
on  an  untraveled  dike,  and  while 
groping  his  way  along  like  a  rat  in 
a  maze,  he  lost  his  footing  and 
slipped  into  water  and  mud  up  to 
his  waist.  With  much  struggling,  he 
crawled  back  onto  the  dike,  but  after 
a  few  steps  he  slipped  off  the  other 
side.  Having  no  idea  in  which  di- 
rection he  should  go  or  from  which 
direction  he  had  come,  he  must  have 
traveled  in  circles,  and  for  several 
long  hours  he  slipped,  splashed,  and 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


oozed  his  way  around,  seemingly 
dividing  his  time  between  the  top  of 
the  dikes  and  the  bottom  of  the 
pools.  At  last  he  came  to  a  bunch 
of  sugar  cane  growing  on  a  narrow, 
sloping  shelf  of  grassland  by  a 
ledge.  On  this,  he  decided,  he  would 
stay  until  daylight.  So  he  wound 
his  hands  around  some  of  the  grass 
to  keep  from  sliding  off,  and  went  to 
sleep.  Awakening  with  a  start,  he 
found  himself  waistdeep  in  mud  and 
water  in  the  taro  patch  below. 

After  another  period  of  slipping 
and  splashing  and  fighting  the  mud 
and  water,  he  thought  he  heard  a 
noise  in  the  distance.  Standing  mo- 
tionless, he  listened.  Yes,  it  was,  un- 
mistakably, the  sound  of  water  fall- 
ing! With  renewed  spirits  now, 
through  the  taro  patches  and  over 
the  mud  dikes  he  made  his  way,  fol- 
lowing that  sound,  until  he  reached 
the  pool  below  the  falls.  Here  he 
washed  off  the  mud  as  best  he 
could,  crossed  the  stream,  and 
started  for  some  houses  he  could 
see  in  the  distance.  But  as  he  neared 
the  little  village,  a  pack  of  dogs 
gave  chase,  and  once  more  he  had 
to  muster  enough  strength  to  run 
until  he  was  out  of  danger.  Then, 
coming  to  a  partly-built  grass  shack 
he  lay  down  on  a  mat  that  was  on 
the  dirt  floor  and  was  so  exhausted 
that  the  sun  was  hours  high  in  the 
morning  when  he  awoke  from  a 
much-needed  sleep. 

Tt  was  the  fourth  day.  Surely  the 
Rambler  had  left  by  this  time! 
Now  he  could  go  to  town  and  get 
some  food.  Climbing  to  the  top  of 
a  hill  from  which  he  could  see  the 
ocean,  he  scanned  the  harbor  with 
anxious  eyes.  Then  for  a  few  min- 
utes his  hunger  pangs  were  crowded 
out  of  his  being  by  the  joy  that 
surged  through  him. 

The  Rambler  was  nowhere  in 
sight!  He  had  won  the  first  part  of 
his  battle.  William  Worth  couldn't 
reach  him  now. 

Back  at  Jack  Crowns  he  found 
his  clothes  safe.  All  he  could  think 
of  now  was  food.  Jack  offered  to 
feed  him  until  he  found  work,  but 
he  was  so  ravenous  that  he  was 
ashamed  to  eat  half  as  much  as  his 
appetite  dictated. 

With  another  half-starved  sailor, 
Addison  set  out  to  seek  work  from 
"Old  Charlie,"  a  negro  who  made 
coke  for  use  in  the  city.  Asking 
for  food  at  houses  along  the 
(Continued  on  page  254) 
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MISSION  TO  POLYNESIA 


(Continued  from  page  253) 
way  availed  them  little,  and  what 
Addison  did  eat  seemed  to  increase 
his  desire  for  food  rather  than  to 
satisfy  his  hunger.  At  one  place  the 
pair  was  given  a  large  watermelon, 
which  they  ate,  rind,  seeds,  and  all, 
but  even  this  did  not  relieve  the 
misery  and  pain  created  by  going 
several  days  without  food. 

They  found  "Old  Charlie"  will- 
ing to  give  them  a  job.  And  when 
he  learned  how  hungry  they  were, 
he  killed  a  yearling  goat,  dug  some 
sweet  potatoes,  and  cooked  a  six- 
quart  pan  of  the  meat  and  vegeta- 
bles into  a  thick  soup.  Then  he 
dished  out  about  a  third  of  the  pan- 
ful for  himself,  leaving  the  rest 
for  the  two  sailors.  Although 
Charlie  warned  the  two  not  to  eat 
too  much,  they  were  both  so  starved 
that  they  ate  until  the  whole  of  the 
four  quarts  was  devoured.  Addison 
paid  dearly  for  this  experience, 
however,  and  for  the  rest  of  the  day 
and  all  the  following  night  he  suf- 
fered severe  stomach  pains.  Even  for 
a  month  afterwards  the  pains  re- 
turned every  time  he  ate  a  meal.  On 
top  of  all  this,  his  job  making  coke 
lasted  only  a  few  days. 

ut  misfortune  was  not  always  to< 
be  Addison's  lot.  Several  days 
after  he  lost  his  job,  he  was  walking 
along  the  beach  and  stopped  to 
show  a  native  how  to  split  wood 
with  an  American-type  ax.  He  did 
not  know  it,  but  a  white  man  by  the 
name  of  James  Hannwell  was 
watching.  Mr.  Hannwell  was  im- 
pressed with  this  young  man.  He 
liked  the  clean-cut  face  and  eager 
eyes.  He  liked  the  way  he  stopped 
to  help  a  stranger.  He  liked  the  way 
he  swung  an  ax.  And  because  he 
was  so  impressed,  even  though  there 
were  several  hundred  sailors  on  the 
island  who  were  looking  for  work, 
he  introduced  himself  to  this  strange 
young  man  and  told  him  there  was 
a  job  open  if  he  wished  employ- 
ment. 

Addison  and  another  sailor 
started  working  for  Mr.  Hannwell 
the  next  day.  As  they  were  return- 
ing from  lunch  at  noon,  the  other 
sailor  stopped  along  the  way  to 
witness  a  drunken  brawl  and  didn't 
show  up  for  work  at  all  during  the 
afternoon.  Addison  was  there  on 
time,  but  Mr.  Hannwell  didn't  put 


him  to  work.  Rather  he  started  ask- 
ing questions.  He  wanted  to  know 
about  his  parents,  his  home,  and  his 
early  training,  his  education,  his  be- 
liefs and  habits,  his  ambitions  and 
desires.  And  when  Mr.  Hannwell 
was  convinced  that  this  young  man 
was  not  like  the  many  other  run- 
away sailors  he  had  known,  he 
asked  him  if  he  would  like  a  home. 

A  home! 

"To  find  a  home  in  this  far-off 
land  is  a  blessing  I  have  never 
dreamed  of,"  Addison  told  him. 

"Well,"  Mr.  Hannwell  said,  "I 
have  a  house  where  I  stay.  I  do  not 
live  in  the  greatest  kind  of  style,  but 
I  have  salt  beef  and  pork  with  all 
kinds  of  vegetables  and  hard 
bread." 

Addison  was  speechless. 

"If  you  think  you  can  stand  such 
a  fcving,"  Hannwell  added,  "you 
may  come  and  try  it." 

Stand  such  living?  After  his  ex- 
periences aboard  the  Rambler  and 
his  misfortunes  of  the  few  days  he 
had  spent  on  shore,  Addison  could 
hardly  believe  that  such  good  for- 
tune had  come  to  him.  But  it  was 
true,  and  he  stayed  to  live  with  his 
new-found  friend,  to  work  for  him 
loading  and  shipping  sandalwood, 
and  to  manage  his  household  affairs. 

During  the  months  that  followed 
Addison  learned  to  understand  and 
speak  a  little  of  the  native  language. 
He  became  acquainted  with  many  of 
the  Sandwich  Islanders  and  came  to 
know  them  as  a  lovable,  kindly,  and 
sincere  people.  Mr.  Hannwell 
treated  him  like  a  son.  All-in-all 
Addison  was  so  elated  with  his  sit- 
uation, that,  for  a  time,  he  thought 
he  would  never  like  to  change  it. 
But  after  a  while  the  new  sights  be- 
came old,  unusual  experiences  be- 
came commonplace,  the  novelty  of 
being  in  a  strange  land  wore  off, 
and  a  strong  desire  came  over  him 
to  return  home. 

(  To  be  continued) 


254 


TO  A  CHILD  WATCHING  BUBBLES 
By  Katherine  Fernelitts  Larsen 

NO  rounder  than  your  wondering  eyes, 
These  thin-blown  spheres 
Of  film  and  air; 

No  lighter  than  your  buoyant  laughter 
Do  they  waft, 
Now  here,  now  there; 
See  them  shimmer,  iridescent, 
Reach,  but  never 
Grasp  them — quite; 
Learn  of  beauty;  learn  how  transient 
Is  delight. 

THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


ontk    l/Uitk 


CHURCH  PUBLICATIONS 


The  Children's  Friend . . . 

'T'he  April  issue  of  this  magazine  fea- 
tures a  message  from  President 
George  Albert  Smith  to  the  children  of 
the  Church.  In  addition  there  are  time- 
ly features  that  will  prove  of  interest 
and  value:  The  Easter  Story  by  Dor- 
othy O.  Barker  and  Wild  Flowers  of 
Palestine  by  Jennie  A.  Russ.  Other 
stories  are:  The  Vacant  Lot  by  Ezra 
J.  Poulsen;  Plink,  the  Water  Drop  by 
Bob  McReynolds;  A  Clothesline  Ro- 
mance by  Irene  B.  Diehl;  and  the  sec- 
ond part  of  the  serial  by  Dorothy 
Clapp  Robinson,  The  Ghost  of  Last 
Chance. 

The  Relief  Society  Magazine . . . 

Cpecial  features  in  the  April  Relief 
Society  Magazine  are :  Jesus — Lord 
of  the  Resurrection  by  Don  B.  Colton; 
Our  Political  Inheritance  by  G.  Homer 
Durham;  The  Family  Hour  in  Latter- 
day  Saint  Homes  by  Lucy  Grant  Can- 
non; and  Grantsville  and  the  Desert  by 
Norma  Wrathall. 

The  magazine  has  its  usual  excep- 
tional fiction:  The  Boy  There  by 
Christie  Lund  Coles;  Thunderstorm  by 
Mary  E.  Knowles;  Through  the  Dark- 
ness by  Hazel  K.  Todd;  And  All  Eter- 
nity by  Carol  Read  Flake;  as  well  as 
chapter  four  of  the  serial,  Joanna,  by 
Margery  S.  Stewart. 

There  are  some  special  features  for 
the  home:  Table  Settings,  and  Flower 
Arrangements  by  Mary  Grant  Judd; 
and  An  Easter  Party  for  the  Children 
'by  Elizabeth  Williamson. 

The  Instructor ... 

President  George  F.  Richards  writes 
of  the  "Influence  of  the  Sunday 
School  on  the  Lives  of  Latter-day 
Saints,"  in  the  April  issue  of  the  In- 
structor. From  the  pen  of  Bryant  S. 
Hinckley  is  a  biographical  sketch  of 
President  Joseph  F.  Smith.  T.  Edgar 
Lyon,  writing  in  his  series  on  the  Doc- 
trine and  Covenants  discusses  "Why 
the  Restoration  Was  Necessary." 
Wallace  G.  Bennett,  former  secretary 
of  the  European  Mission  has  an  inter- 
esting article  entitled  "Behind  a  Pro- 
gram in  Larsmo,  Finland."  There  is 
a  discussion,  "Factors  Favoring  Suc- 
cess in  Marriage  and  Family  Living," 
as  well  as  the  notes  for  Sunday  School 
lessons  and  a  Sunday  evening  pro- 
gram for  the  month  of  June. 

APRIL  1949 


M 


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0 


TREASURES  TO  SHARE"  I 

By  Melvin   Westenskow 

The  Greatest  Treasure  One  Can  Share  With  Others  Is 

An  Understanding  of  the  Gospel 
of  Jesus  Christ 

MISSIONARIES  enthusiastically    and 

liberally  SHARE  this  great  TREASURE  with 

Investigators  of  the  Gospel 

In  "TREASURES  TO  SHARE"  the  author  de- 
livers in  convenient,  systematic,  readable 
fashion  the  essentials  of  the  restored  gospel. 
Missionaries,  teachers,  speakers  commend 
this  book.  Especially  valuable  to  MISSION- 
ARIES AND  INVESTIGATORS. 


COPIES  AUTOGRAPHED 
UPON  REQUEST  IF  OR- 
DER SENT  DIRECT  TO 
THE  AUTHOR. 

ADDRESS:  1106   I  AVE. 
LA  GRANDE,  OREGON 


Price  $2.00 

DESERET  BDDK  CO 

44  East  South  Temple  Street 
Salt  Lake  City,  Utah 


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255 


0MX 


Los  Angeles  1,  California 
January  16,  1949 

Dear  Brother  Giles: 

To  answer  your  question — yes,  I  read  Church  history  cor- 
rectly, but  at  times  it  doesn't  make  sense.  Recently  I  was 
studying  Joseph  Smith's  story  of  the  first  vision  and  trying 
to  reconcile  his  statement  in  DHC  that  he  lived  in  Manchester, 
New  York,  at  the  time,  with  my  own  recollections  of  a  visit 
last  summer  to  Palmyra,  New  York.  The  latest  copy  of  the 
Era  came  several  days  after  I  had  spent  considerable  time  in 
trying  to  discern  just  what  the  correct  information  was.  .  .  . 
Again  may  I  compliment  you  for  your  excellent  article, 
"Do  You  Read  Church  History  Correctly?"  and  wish  you 
every  success  with  your  new  publication. 

Sincerely, 

William  E.  Hartman 

Stockton,  California 
January  17,  1949 

Dear  Brother  Giles: 

Your  article,  "Do  You  Read  Church  History  Correctly?" 
in  the  January  issue  of  the  Era  is  going  to  be  of  much 
value  to  future  researchers  of  Church  history. 

I  have  checked  it  carefully  and  found  it  positively  a  perfect 
explanation  of  the  situation.  .  .  . 

Sincerely  your  brother  in  the  gospel, 

(Signed)  D.  A.  Stone 

Phoenix,  Arizona 

Dear  Era  Friends: 

MY  bishop  told  me  that  it  was  possible  that  a  very  won- 
derful thing  was  going  to  happen  in  my  life,  but  I  never 
dreamed  that  it  could  have  been  such  an  honor  as  to  appear 
on  the  cover  of  The  Improvement  Era.  I  can't  express  deep- 
ly enough  what  an  honor  it  is.  I  am  aware  that  it  is  an  impor- 
tant magazine,  not  only  to  Latter-day  Saints,  but  to  the  people 
who  are  interested  in  knowing  the  truth  of  the  gospel. 

I  only  pray  that  I  might  be  representative  in  a  pleasing 
manner  of  all  the  queens  from  all  parts  of  the  country,  and 
different  parts  of  the  world. 

Again  I  say  with  humbleness  and  gratitude,  thank  you  so 
much  for  this  high  honor. 

Sincerely, 

(Signed)  Dorothy  Doyle 

Las  Vegas,  Nevada 

Dear  Editors: 

...  I  would  like  to  take  this  opportunity  of  telling  you 
how  much  my  husband  and  I  enjoy  The  Improvement  Era. 
One  of  the  requirements  I  fulfilled  was  writing  a  report  on  at 
least  three  outstanding  articles  from  twelve  consecutive  issues 
of  The  Improvement  Era.  It  seemed  like  a  good-sized  task, 
but  with  the  help  of  the  Lord  and  my  good  husband,  it  wasn't 
so  difficult  as  I  had  imagined  and  was  certainly  worth  every 
effort  put  forth. 

Sincerely  yours, 
(Signed)  Mrs.  Lyle  S.  Norris 

Mesa,  Arizona 
Dear  Brethren: 

We  have  recently  had  two  accomplishments  in  our  ward 
which  we  are  very  proud  of  and  which  we  feel  is  worthy 
enough  to  report  to  you. 

Our  ward  membership  is  around  five  hundred.  To  be  exact 
it  was  four  hundred  seventy-seven  the  first  of  the  year.  Last 
week  at  the  temple,  there  were  sixty-five  of  us  attended  to- 
gether as  a  project  of  the  Special  Interest  Class  in  Mutual. 

Last  month  for  our  ward  conference,  we  had  ninety-eight 
percent  of  the  officers  and  teachers  in  attendance  and  eighty- 
one  percent  of  the  ward  in  attendance  for  the  evening  service. 
Sincerely  your  brethren, 

Charles  E.  Standage,  Bishop 
E.  Mel  Allen,  First  Counselor 
Bassett  T.  Wright,  Second  Counselor 
Robert  A.  Ball,  Ward  Clerk 


ADDRESSES  OF  L.D.S.  SERVICEMEN'S  HOMES 
1104  24th  St.,  Cor.  24th  &  "C,"  San  Diego,  Calif. 
1836  Alice  St.,  Oakland,  Calif. 
615  "F"  St.,  Marysville,  Calif. 
1594  So.  Beretania  St.,  Honolulu,  T.H. 

Naval  Station  Services 

L.  D.  S.  servicemen  are  asked  to  note  the  following 
information: 

"L.  D.  S.  services  are  held  each  Friday  at  8  p.m.  in 
Frazier  Hall,  245  West  28th  St.,  Norfolk  Naval  Station, 
Norfolk,  Virginia." 


THE  LIGHT  TOUCH 

Problems  Dissolved 

J.  Arthur  Rank,  the  British  film  producer,  was  beset  by  a 
series  of  problems  but  seemed  unworried  by  them.  "I've  found 
a  way  of  putting  aside  my  worries,"  said  Rank.  "I've  joined 
the  Wednesday  Worry  Club.  Our  rule  is  that  whenever  a 
worrisome  problem  comes  up,  we  make  a  note  of  it  on  a  piece 
of  paper,  and  put  it  in  a  box  which  is  opened  only  on  Wed- 
nesday.  This  takes  care  of  each  worry  until  Wednesday. 

"Then  on  Wednesday,  when  the  box  is  opened,  we  find  that 

most  of  the  problems  have  been  settled.   And  those  that  aren't 

are  put  into  the  box  again  until  the  following  Wednesday." 

— Magazine  Digest,  March  1949,  quoting  Leonard  Lyons. 

Editorializing 

"Do  you  think  I  should  put  more  fire  into  my  editorials?" 
"No,"  said  his  editor.    "Vice  versa." 

Lost  Dog 

Customer:  "I  inserted  an  advertisement  for  my  lost  dog  in 
the  paper  here.  Has  anything  been  heard  of  it?  I  offered  a 
reward,  of  $10.00." 

Office  boy:  "Sorry,  all  the  editors  and  reporters  are  out 
looking  for  the  dog." 

Imagination 

The  reporter  returned  from  an  interview. 

"Well,"  said  the  editor,  "what  did  Mr.  Astorbilt  say?" 

"Nothing." 

"Well,  then,  keep  it  down  to  a  column." 

What's  In  A  Name? 

A  struggling  author  had  called  on  a  publisher  to  inquire 
about  a  manuscript  he  had  submitted. 

"This  is  quite  well  written,"  admitted  the  publisher,  "but  my 
firm  only  publishes  work  by  writers  with  well-known  names." 

"Splendid!"  shouted  the  caller  in  great  excitement.  "My 
name's  Smith." 

Seasoned 

"Your  son  is  making  good  progress  with  his  violin.  He  is 
beginning  to  play  quite  nicely." 

"Do  you  really  think  so?  We  were  afraid  that  we'd  merely 
got  used  to  it." 

Touch  of  Greatness 

"Do  you  actually  mean  to  tell  me  your  son  plays  the  violin 
like  Heifetz?" 

"Sure — under  his  chin." 

<3> 

"That  last  little  thing  of  yours  was  charming,"  said  the 
gushing  hostess.  "I  loved  its  wild  abandon.  Was  it  your  own 
composition?" 

"No,  madam,"  scowled  the  lion  of  the  evening.  "I  was 
putting  a  new  string  on  my  violin." 


256 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


SPEAKING  OF. 


•    • 


"flWMP'' 


THIS  GASOLINES  007/7/ 

The  Reason  -  Phillips  66  is  "CONTROLLED"*  for 
Uniform  Driving  Performance  Winter,  Summer,  Spring  or  Fall! 


Step  on  the  starter  . . .  step  on  the  accelerator 
. . .  that's  where  you'll  learn  the  real  story  of 
Phillips  66  Gasoline ! 

Yes,  and  there's  a  mighty  good  reason 
for  that  smooth  power,  pick-up,  and  pep  — 
Phillips  66  is  controlled  to  give  you  high 

quality  gasoline 
performance  every 
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K 


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ALL  YEAR  'ROUND. 


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X 


"the  boyhood  of  the  year" 


— -  Tennyson 

Good  earth  is  man's  counterpart.  Its  seasons  run 
the  course  of  human  life.  As  Spring  goes,  so  goes 
the  year;  as  youth  does,  so  is  the  man! 

And  Spring-planted  seeds  of  thrift  will  surely 
become  Autumn's  fruitful  harvest  and  Winter's 
store  of  plenty. 


■AUfcjhfp, 


George  Albert  Smith, 


Salt  Uk«  City.  Utah